Free USCG OUPV Exam Flashcards

The OUPV exam has four separately graded modules, and you must pass each one. Rules of the Road and Chart Plot each require 90%, while Navigation General and Deck General/Safety each require 70%. Because the modules are scored independently, a weak result on the 90% modules can fail your application even if your other modules are strong. Rules of the Road (50 questions) and Chart Plot (10 questions) are the highest-risk modules.

You need 360 days of documented sea service to qualify for the OUPV credential, and 90 of those days must fall within the past 7 years (the recency requirement, updated under NMC Policy Letter 02-25). A 'sea day' is at least 4 hours underway within a 24-hour period, documented on Coast Guard form CG-719S. For a Near Coastal OUPV, 90 days must be on ocean, near-coastal, or Great Lakes waters. You must also be at least 18 years old.

The OUPV (Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels), or 'Six-Pack,' authorizes carrying up to six paying passengers on an uninspected vessel under 100 gross tons. A Master license is required to operate an inspected 'small passenger vessel' carrying seven or more passengers, which also needs a Certificate of Inspection. The six-passenger cap is a hard legal limit tied to the vessel's uninspected status, not a guideline.

The current OUPV exam is 160 multiple-choice questions across four modules: Rules of the Road (50), Navigation General (50), Deck General/Safety (50), and Chart Plot (10). You get up to 3.5 hours per module, and the modules are completed on consecutive days within the same business week. A Coast Guard-approved course completion certificate can be used in lieu of the Regional Examination Center exam.

Under Coast Guard officer-endorsement retest rules, a failed applicant may be retested, and only the unsatisfactory modules must be retaken. All parts must be completed within 3 months of the initial test date, otherwise a full reexamination is required. Your approval to test from the National Maritime Center remains valid for 1 year. There is no fixed multi-day waiting period like some commercial exams impose.

A Merchant Mariner Credential, including the OUPV endorsement, is valid for 5 years and must be renewed before it expires. Renewal requires meeting recency, medical certificate, and drug-testing standards. Keeping your TWIC current is also necessary, since the OUPV credential cannot be used to work without a valid TWIC card.