100+ Free USCG Master OSV Practice Questions
Prepare for the USCG Master / Chief Mate of Offshore Supply Vessels (Oceans or Near Coastal) exam with instant access — no signup required.
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Key Facts: USCG Master OSV Exam
OSV01
NMC Exam Code
USCG National Maritime Center
~375 catalog items
OSV01 Module Listing Total
USCG NMC OSV01 modules
90%
Rules of the Road Pass Mark
USCG NMC Q100
70%
Most Module Pass Mark
USCG NMC OSV01
$255
Typical Original Upper-Level Total
46 CFR 10.219 ($100+$110+$45)
5 years
Credential Validity
USCG Merchant Mariner Credential
Pay.gov
Fee Payment Method (since 2025-01-19)
USCG NMC fees page
The USCG Master/Chief Mate OSV exam (NMC OSV01) is the upper-level deck license battery for offshore supply vessel officers. Official modules include Q100 Rules of the Road (50 questions, 90% pass), Q200 Deck General (70, 70%), Q201 Deck Safety (70, 70%), Q202 Stability Problems (10, 70%), Navigation General Near Coastal or Oceans (Q203/Q204, 70, 70%), Q205 Chart Plot (10, 90%), Q206 Nav Problems Near Coastal (10, 90%), and Q207 Nav Problems Oceans (15, 80%). Catalog modules sum to about 375 items; actual modules depend on Oceans vs Near Coastal route. Typical original upper-level MMC fees are $100 evaluation + $110 examination + $45 issuance (~$255) under 46 CFR 10.219, paid via Pay.gov since 19 January 2025. Raise of grade from Chief Mate OSV to Master OSV is generally without further professional examination once service requirements are met.
Sample USCG Master OSV Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your USCG Master OSV exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1Under the International Rules (COLREGS), a power-driven vessel underway and not engaged in special operations exhibits which lights at night?
2In a crossing situation under the International Rules, when two power-driven vessels are crossing so as to involve risk of collision, which vessel must keep out of the way?
3A vessel is overtaking another when she is coming up with another vessel from a direction more than how many degrees abaft her beam?
4Under International Rule 34, a power-driven vessel in sight of another and altering course as authorized or required by the Rules sounds one short blast to indicate:
5A vessel not under command at night exhibits which lights in addition to sidelights and a sternlight when making way through the water?
6In restricted visibility, a power-driven vessel making way through the water shall sound which fog signal at intervals of not more than 2 minutes?
7The danger signal of at least five short and rapid blasts is used to mean:
8In a narrow channel under Rule 9, a vessel of less than 20 meters in length or a sailing vessel shall not impede the passage of a vessel which can safely navigate only within:
9A vessel engaged in fishing, other than trawling, exhibits which identification lights at night?
10Under Rule 10, a vessel using a traffic separation scheme shall, so far as practicable, keep clear of a traffic separation line or separation zone and shall normally join or leave a traffic lane at:
About the USCG Master OSV Exam
The USCG Master / Chief Mate of Offshore Supply Vessels examination (NMC exam code OSV01) is the upper-level national deck-officer license examination for command and chief-mate service on offshore supply vessels on Oceans or Near Coastal routes. It is administered as a modular battery at Regional Exam Centers and covers Rules of the Road, deck general, deck safety, stability problems, navigation general, chart plot, and navigation problems. Content is framed for OSV work supporting offshore oil and gas: deck cargo, liquid mud and bulk cargo awareness, platform approaches, industrial personnel, and dynamic positioning knowledge at the multiple-choice level, together with Subchapter L and Part 11 endorsement concepts.
Assessment
OSV01: Q100 (50/90%), Q200 (70/70%), Q201 (70/70%), Q202 (10/70%), Q203 or Q204 (70/70%), Q205 (10/90%), Q206 (10/90%), Q207 Oceans only (15/80%)
Time Limit
Up to 3.5 hours per module; minimum two modules per day, all modules completed on consecutive days within the same business week
Passing Score
70% most modules; 90% Rules of the Road, Chart Plot, and Navigation Problems Near Coastal; 80% Navigation Problems Oceans
Exam Fee
$110 examination fee; ~$255 typical original upper-level total ($100 evaluation + $110 exam + $45 issuance) (U.S. Coast Guard National Maritime Center (NMC) / Regional Exam Centers)
USCG Master OSV Exam Content Outline
Q100 Rules of the Road
International (72 COLREGS) and Inland Rules: lookout, safe speed, risk of collision, head-on/crossing/overtaking, lights and shapes, sound and light signals, restricted visibility, narrow channels, TSS, and responsibilities between vessels
Q200 Deck General
Shiphandling (pivot point, transverse thrust, turning circle), anchoring and mooring, cargo stowage and securing including OSV deck cargo and bulk/liquid mud concepts, maritime law and ship's business, certificates and documents, ISM/SMS, and watchkeeping/BRM
Q201 Deck Safety
Fire classes and fixed extinguishing systems (CO2, foam), lifesaving appliances, immersion suits, EPIRB and SART, muster lists and SOLAS drills, enclosed-space entry, watertight integrity, MARPOL duties, man-overboard and abandon-ship procedures, and damage control
Q202 Stability Problems
KM−KG=GM, free surface effect (including slack mud tanks), list from weight shift, TPI/sinkage, deck-cargo rise of G, angle of loll correction, and stability-booklet use for supply-vessel loading
Q203/Q204 Navigation General
Charts and publications, IALA aids, compass error (variation/deviation), radar and electronic navigation, ECDIS/AIS awareness, tides and currents, meteorology (Buys Ballot, tropical systems), and route-specific near-coastal or oceans theory
Q205–Q207 Chart Plot & Navigation Problems
Chart-plot reasoning, time-speed-distance, set and drift, course to steer, running fixes, tide-table work, and oceans navigation problems (celestial intercept concepts) when on the oceans path
OSV Operations
Platform approach and stand-off, cargo-on-deck and liquid-mud transfer awareness, industrial personnel transport considerations, DP modes and reference systems at knowledge level, and Subchapter L OSV regulatory context
How to Pass the USCG Master OSV Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: 70% most modules; 90% Rules of the Road, Chart Plot, and Navigation Problems Near Coastal; 80% Navigation Problems Oceans
- Assessment: OSV01: Q100 (50/90%), Q200 (70/70%), Q201 (70/70%), Q202 (10/70%), Q203 or Q204 (70/70%), Q205 (10/90%), Q206 (10/90%), Q207 Oceans only (15/80%)
- Time limit: Up to 3.5 hours per module; minimum two modules per day, all modules completed on consecutive days within the same business week
- Exam fee: $110 examination fee; ~$255 typical original upper-level total ($100 evaluation + $110 exam + $45 issuance)
Keys to Passing
- Work through all 100 available questions
- Review every answer and explanation
- Track weak areas and revisit them
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
USCG Master OSV Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the USCG Master / Chief Mate OSV exam?
It is the upper-level U.S. national deck-officer examination (NMC exam code OSV01) for Master and Chief Mate endorsements on offshore supply vessels on Oceans or Near Coastal routes. It is taken as a modular battery at Regional Exam Centers under NMC rules and 46 CFR Part 11 officer endorsement requirements.
How many questions are on the OSV01 exam and what are the passing scores?
The published OSV01 module set lists Q100 (50 questions, 90%), Q200 (70, 70%), Q201 (70, 70%), Q202 (10, 70%), Q203 or Q204 Navigation General (70, 70%), Q205 Chart Plot (10, 90%), Q206 Navigation Problems Near Coastal (10, 90%), and Q207 Navigation Problems Oceans (15, 80%). Summing catalog modules is about 375 items; Near Coastal routes do not take Q207, and Navigation General is either Near Coastal or Oceans by route.
What subjects are tested on Master/Chief Mate OSV?
Rules of the Road (COLREGS and Inland), deck general (shiphandling, anchoring, cargo, maritime law, ship's business), deck safety (firefighting, lifesaving, GMDSS, drills, damage control), stability problems, navigation general, chart plot, and navigation problems, with OSV-relevant cargo, platform, industrial-personnel, and DP knowledge woven into the deck modules.
Do I need a further exam to raise from Chief Mate OSV to Master OSV?
Generally no. Raise of grade from Chief Mate OSV to Master OSV is typically without further professional examination once the required sea service and other credentialing requirements are met, consistent with NMC OSV path practice.
How much does the Master OSV exam cost?
Under 46 CFR 10.219, a typical upper-level original application is $100 evaluation, $110 examination, and $45 issuance (about $255 total). Since 19 January 2025, fees are paid through Pay.gov; confirm current amounts on the NMC fees page before applying.
Is remote online testing available?
No. USCG deck-officer examinations including OSV01 are administered at Regional Exam Centers (RECs). Scheduling and application follow NMC processes (including the ASAP portal for applications).
Is this practice bank the official Coast Guard exam?
No. It is a free English-language multiple-choice study aid built around the OSV01 knowledge areas. It is not an official NMC form, not a simulation of the real module structure or timing, and not a substitute for the Coast Guard's own sample examinations. The official exams are administered at Regional Exam Centers from current NMC question banks with the approved plotting sheets and reference materials.
How long is each module and how are they scheduled?
Each module must be completed within three and a half hours, and scoring time is additional. Candidates complete a minimum of two modules per day, and all modules of an examination are taken on consecutive days within the same business week. Every module, including any retests, must fall inside a 90-day examination cycle and within the one-year validity of the Approval to Test letter.
What is special about OSV stability and cargo knowledge?
OSVs commonly carry heavy deck cargo and liquid mud or bulk products with large free-surface potential. Exam-level knowledge emphasizes GM, free surface, list, deck-cargo effects on the center of gravity, platform approach seamanship, cargo securing, and industrial-personnel safety—not hands-on DP console operation.