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How to Get Seafarer Medical Certificates

Seafarer medical certificates are requirements for working at sea in the United Kingdom. This guide explains how much ENG 1 and ML5 medical certificates cost and how to apply.

Check what happens if your ENG 1 or ML5 seafarer medical fitness certificate is suspended or cancelled. You must also follow Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) regulations and procedures for expired certificates.

Who Needs to Get an ENG 1 Certificate?

The ENG 1 certificate results from a medical exam set by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Having a valid medical fitness certificate is a requirement for anyone who is (any):

Note: The current cost of an ENG 1 medical examination in the United Kingdom is around £90 (maximum £115).

Applying for the ENG 1 Medical Examination

Only a doctor approved by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency can issue an ENG 1 certificate. The MCA produce an updated list of doctors in the United Kingdom who can carry out ENG 1 medicals.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency also have a list of shipping companies and the doctors approved to carry out ENG 1 medicals for their employees.

The doctor will provide you with the ENG 1 certificate straight after passing the medical examination. Remember to take:

  • Photo ID (e.g. a valid passport)
  • Previous medical certificate (if applicable)
  • Name, address, and contact details of your local GP
  • Any medication that you are currently taking
  • Your spectacles or contact lenses if you wear them (not colour correction lenses)

Note: MSN 1815 Amendment 2 has a list of countries whose seafarer medical fitness certificates are accepted as equivalent to the UK ENG 1 (applicable to seafarers and to fishermen).

Who Needs to Get an ML5 Certificate?

The MCA produce guidance notes about your health at sea. But, an ML5 medical certificate is a requirement if you are (any):

  • Master of a passenger ship that does not go to sea (Class IV or V).
  • Master of a commercial vessel that does not go to sea.
  • Master or crew member of a small commercial vessel certificated for Area Category 2 to 6 (not more than 60 miles from a safe haven).
  • A crew member or anyone else (e.g. bodyguard, catering staff) who usually works on a domestic passenger ship (Class VI or VIA) that goes to sea.

Note: In fact, there is no set fee for the ML5 certificate. But, in most cases the doctor is likely to make a charge for carrying out the service.

Applying for the ML5 Medical Certificate

The ML5 medical report form and certificate helps a doctor decide on your fitness to work safely at sea. Download and use MSF 4112 as a report for your medical history and current health.

Suspended and Cancelled Medical Certificates

Seafarer medical certificates can be suspended or they can cancelled altogether. Typical grounds for suspending or cancelling a medical certificate include situations such as:

  • Not following the terms of the certificate.
  • A major change in fitness.
  • The doctor who issued the certificate did not have full details of the applicant’s condition at the time of the examination.

Note: You must hold a valid medical fitness certificate and produce it on demand to the relevant authorities.

If Your Seafarer Certificate Expires

It is not uncommon for a medical certificate to expire during a voyage at sea. If this happens, you would be able to continue working for a limited amount of time.

You would be able to (whichever happens first):

  • Work up to three (3) months from the date the certificate expires.
  • Until the vessel reaches the next port of call where you can replace the certificate.

Seafarer Medical Fitness Certificates in United Kingdom