The Merchant Shipping (Inland Waterway and Limited Coastal Operations) (Boatmasters’ Qualifications and Hours of Work) Regulations 2006

Validity periods and re-validation of licences

14.—(1) Except where paragraph (7) or (9) of regulation 33 or paragraph (6) of regulation 35 applies, both a Tier 1 and a Tier 2 boatmaster’s licence remain in force—

(a) in the case of a licence issued to a person aged 59 or under, for a period of 5 years commencing on the date it is issued;

(b) in the case of a licence issued to a person aged not less than 60 or more than 63, for a period ending on his 65th birthday;

(c) in the case of a licence issued to a person aged 64 or over, for a period of 1 year commencing on the date it is issued.

(2) Except where regulation 33(8) applies, an endorsement of a Tier 1 boatmaster’s licence remains in force for the same period as the licence.

(3) The Secretary of State may not issue a Tier 1 boatmaster’s licence to commence on or after the expiry of a Tier 1 licence previously held by the applicant (“the previous licence”) unless the applicant satisfies him that he has completed (or will by the date of expiry of the previous licence have completed) 120 days’ service in a suitable deck capacity during the period of 5 years ending on the date of expiry of the previous licence.

(4) The Secretary of State may not issue a Tier 2 boatmaster’s licence to commence on or after the expiry of a Tier 2 licence previously held by the applicant (“the previous licence”) unless the applicant satisfies him that he has completed (or will by the date of expiry of the previous licence have completed) 50 days’ service in a suitable deck capacity during the period of 5 years ending on the date of expiry of the previous licence.

(5) Where the Secretary of State is not satisfied in accordance with paragraph (3) or (4), as the case may be—

(a) he may require the applicant to satisfy him that he has the practical skills and knowledge (or any part of those skills or that knowledge) required in respect of the relevant class of licence, and

(b) paragraphs 7 to 18 of Part 1 of Schedule 4 apply for the purpose of assessing those skills or that knowledge.

(6) The Secretary of State may not issue a relevant local knowledge endorsement for any waters within the Port of London area to commence on or after the expiry of a previous endorsement unless the applicant satisfies him that he has the practical skills and knowledge of the local navigational requirements necessary for the holder of that endorsement.