[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 46, Volume 1] [Revised as of October 1, 2008] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 46CFR12.02-17] [Page 209] TITLE 46--SHIPPING CHAPTER I--COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PART 12_CERTIFICATION OF SEAMEN--Table of Contents Subpart 12.02_General Requirements for Certification Sec. 12.02-17 Preparation and issuance of documents. (a) Upon application of a person for a merchant mariner's document, any required examination will be given as soon as practicable. (b) Upon determining that the applicant satisfactorily meets all requirements for the document and any endorsements requested, the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection, shall issue the appropriate document to the applicant. A merchant mariner's document is valid for a term of 5 years from the date of issuance. Any document which is renewed or reissued prior to its expiration date automatically becomes void upon issuance of the replacement document. (c) When a person applies for a merchant mariner's document, he or she must-- (1) Sign the document; and (2) Provide acceptable proof of identity as described in Sec. 12.02-12. (d) For recordkeeping purposes, the official identification number is a seaman's social security number. (e) After July 31, 1998, an applicant for a merchant mariner's document who will be serving on a seagoing vessel of 200 GRT or more shall provide a document issued by a qualified medical practitioner attesting the applicant's medical fitness to perform the functions for which the document is issued. (f) An applicant for a certificate of service or efficiency who has been duly examined and refused a certificate by an Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection may come before the same Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection for reexamination at any time after the date of the initial examination. The Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection sets the time of reexamination based on the applicant's performance on the initial examination. However, the maximum waiting period after the initial failure will be 30 days, and the maximum waiting period after a second or subsequent failure will be 90 days. (g) An applicant who has been examined and refused a certificate by an Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection may not make application for examination to any other Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection until 30 days after the applicant's last failure of an examination or reexamination. However, an applicant may apply for examination by another Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection before the expiration of the 30 day period if sanctioned by the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection who refused the applicant. (h) The mariner shall return the previous MMD when a new MMD is issued. [CGFR 65-50, 30 FR 16640, Dec. 30, 1965, as amended by CGD 72-81R, 37 FR 10834, May 31, 1972; 44 FR 21021, Apr. 9, 1979; CGD 91-211, 59 FR 49300, Sept. 27, 1994; CGD 95-062, 62 FR 34535, June 26, 1997; USCG-2003-14500, 69 FR 532, Jan. 6, 2004]