How to obtain a Canadian marine medical certificate

A marine medical certificate is a document that proves that a seafarer meets the required medical and physical standards required by Canadian law. Seafarers must hold either a Marine Medical Certificate or Provisional Medical Certificate and show it when asked.

To get a certificate you must be at least 16 when you apply and must:

meet the marine medical standards related to vision and hearing
meet the general physical and mental fitness requirements including:
- being able to lift and carry 22 kg,
- wearing breathing apparatus and personal life-saving equipment while climbing ladders,
- being able to fight fires and abandon a vessel in an emergency,
- working in tight spaces and moving through openings that are 600 mm by 600 mm or less, and
meet the specific physical and mental fitness requirements for a position that you want on a vessel.

You can confirm the authenticity and validity of a marine medical certificate online.

Before you apply

A person who is at least 16 years of age at the time of examination may apply.

If you’ve been denied a Marine Medical Certificate in the past and your restrictive medical condition has changed, you can reapply for a medical assessment. You must tell the Marine Medical Examiner of any previous limitations and give them any medical certificates and/or health information that you may have.

Get a Candidate Document Number

A Candidate Document Number is a unique number that groups your information in our database.

You must have a Candidate Document Number before applying for a Marine Medical Certificate. Without one, Transport Canada can’t process your application.

To get a Candidate Document Number please follow the instructions found on the ‘Get a Candidate Document Number’ webpage.

Cannabis, alcohol, and drugs/medication

Under Canada’s Criminal Code, you can’t operate a vessel if you’re impaired. Under subsection 253(1) of the Criminal Code, you may not operate, assist in the operation of, or have the care or control of a vessel while impaired. This applies whether the vessel’s moving or not and whether you’re drunk, high, or both. The usage of cannabis and its derivatives or of any potentially performance-impairing substance or drug, prescribed or not, is not permitted within 48 hours prior to the performance of ship-board duties.

It is important for you to be aware that your ability to conduct your shipboard duties may be impaired beyond this 48-hour usage prohibition. Impairment occurs even after intoxication, and you may not be aware of this impairment.

Your employer may also have its own policies regarding the use of drugs and alcohol, which you will be required to follow. These policies may be more restrictive.

Your use of any substance (legal or not, and while at work or not) could affect your ability to work, your safety at work and the safety of those around you. Your use of alcohol, cannabis and other drugs, is just one of many factors that that the marine medical examiner and the Transport Canda Marine Medical Unit will consider before deciding whether to issue a certificate.

You must be honest and open about your current and past use of alcohol, cannabis and any other legal or illegal drugs/substances during your medical examination.

More information on using cannabis and operating a vessel

Cost

Transport Canada doesn’t charge a fee for issuing a Marine Medical Certificate, but your Marine Medical Examiner will charge for their exam. This cost varies between providers.

Validity

In most cases, if you’re deemed “Fit” without any geographic/duty limitations or without health risk factors, you can be issued a Marine Medical Certificate that is valid for:

2 years for international voyages (vessels subject to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers)
up to 5 years for Canadian domestic voyages

If you’re deemed “Fit” with limitations due to health issues that could affect your ability to work at sea, you could be issued a Marine Medical Certificate that:

is valid for a shorter term
has geographic limits
has duty limits, or
any combination these terms

A person under 18 years of age will only be issued a medical certificate with a maximum validity of 1 year.

Apply for a Marine Medical Certificate

Before arranging any marine medical examination, applicants must always consult the Marine Medical Examiner Search online tool to confirm the examiner’s current designation status. If you do not find their name on the list, they may not be permitted to conduct marine medical examinations which could invalidate any certificates you may receive from them.

To apply for a Marine Medical Certificate:

Contact a Marine Medical Examiner and make an appointment for a marine medical exam. Please bring a complete list of all current medications, as well as any relevant diagnostic imaging and specialist reports to your examination. You must also inform the Marine Medical Examiner (MME) if you have previously been found unfit or fit with limitations.
Attend the exam.
During the exam, the examiner will decide whether you’re “Fit”, “Fit with limitations.”
1. If you’re deemed as “Fit” or “Fit with limitations” the examiner will give you a provisional medical certificate after the exam that’s valid for up to 6 months after your exam
2. If you’re deemed “Unfit”, the examiner will explain their decision in writing. In some cases, you can challenge this decision.

At the end of your marine medical examination, the designated marine medical examiner may issue you a provisional marine medical certificate or they may find you Unfit. Regardless of their decisions, the Transport Canada Marine Medical Unit (MMU) will review your marine medical examination report. The MMU may agree with the MME’s decision or the MMU may arrive at a different decision than the decision made by the MMU.

We may ask you for additional information through a mailed Request for Information (RFI) letter. It is important that you respond fully to every item listed in the letter and as soon as possible, as delays in responding may prevent us from issuing you a medical certificate.

If there is no MME within 200 km of the area you live in or of the vessel on which you will be working, a non-designated physician or a registered nurse may conduct a medical assessment and issue a provisional marine medical certificate.

After you apply

Provisional certificates

You will receive a Provisional Medical Certificate following your medical exam. With this certificate you can serve on board a vessel that’s on an international voyage.

If your provisional certificate expires soon and you haven’t heard from Transport Canada, you can ask for an update on the status of your certificate by emailing the Marine Medical Unit: TC.Marinemedicine-Medecinemaritime.TC@tc.gc.ca.

Make sure to include your full name, Candidate Document Number (CDN) and your Provisional Medical Certificate’s expiry date in the Subject line of your email.

Challenge a decision

Transport Canada may determine that you are Unfit or Fit with Limitations based on a review of all information on file. The MMU will send you a letter explaining the decision.  In this letter, we will often ask you to provide our office with more information regarding your health conditions. If you get another marine medical examination from the same marine medical examiner or a different one without providing us with the previously requested information, the MMU may invalidate any subsequent certificates you obtain.

The MMU retains and considers all relevant past and current medical information when reviewing your examination reports.  Again, it is essential that you respond to these letters to avoid disappointment and disruptions with your certification status.

Transport Canada can suspend, cancel, refuse to issue or renew any marine medical certificate (including provisional ones) if you don’t tell your examiner that you’ve been previously deemed “unfit”. We can also take these actions if we believe that your Provisional Medical Certificate was issued based on incomplete or incorrect information, either with or without intent.

If you’ve received a Provisional Medical Certificate that declares you’re “fit with limitations” or a letter refusing to issue a provisional certificate you can ask Transport Canada to reconsider these decisions. Once you receive one of these documents you have 30 days to submit a request to Transport Canada for a reconsideration.

If Transport Canada reviews the decision and it doesn’t change, you can ask the Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada to review the decision.

Renew your certificate

To renew a Marine Medical Certificate:

Contact a Marine Medical Examiner and make an appointment for a marine medical exam. This exam should be 4-6 months before your current certificate expires.
Attend the exam.
During the exam, the examiner will decide whether you’re “Fit”, “Fit with limitations”, or “Unfit”
1. If you’re deemed as “Fit” or “Fit with limitations” the examiner will give you a provisional medical certificate after the exam that’s valid for up to 6 months after your exam.
2. If you’re deemed “Unfit”, the examiner will explain their decision in writing. In some cases, you can challenge this decision.

Replace your certificate

To replace a certificate:

Contact your nearest Transport Canada Regional Office.
Ask for the office to complete a Replacement Form.
The Regional Office will send the request to the Marine Medical Unit.
Your Marine Medical Certificate will be mailed to you.

Update your mailing address

If you move, you must update your mailing address with Transport Canada. To update your address, please contact the nearest Transport Canada Regional Office.

Need help?

Email: TC.Marinemedicine-Medecinemaritime.TC@tc.gc.ca

Mail:
Marine Medical Unit
Transport Canada
Mailstop: AMS
Place de Ville, Tower C
330 Sparks St
Ottawa, ON K1A 0N8

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