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OUPV License

USCG license authorizing a captain to operate an Uninspected Passenger Vessel carrying up to six paying passengers.

The Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels (OUPV) license is the entry-level USCG captain's license. It authorizes the holder to carry up to six paying passengers on a vessel that does not hold a Certificate of Inspection (COI). OUPVs are commonly called "six-pack" licenses because of the six-passenger cap.

Candidates must have 360 days of documented sea time (90 of which in the last three years), be at least 18, pass a USCG medical, hold a current drug test, complete a CPR/First Aid card, and pass the four-module OUPV exam. The credential is endorsed for either Near Coastal (100 nautical miles offshore) or Inland waters.

OUPV is the most common license for charter fishing captains, small day-charter boats, and ferry tenders.

Examples

  • A Fort Lauderdale sport-fishing captain running half-day trips with five customers typically holds an OUPV.
  • A small pontoon-boat operator in the Keys uses an OUPV to carry paying groups for bay cruises.

On CharterXO

Many of CharterXO's day-charter captains hold OUPV licenses. Those listings are capped at six passengers automatically by our booking flow.

Related Terms

Six-Pack License—Informal name for the USCG OUPV license, which caps carriage at six paying passengers on an uninspected vessel.USCG Captain's License—A Merchant Mariner Credential issued by the U.S. Coast Guard that authorizes the holder to operate a vessel for hire.Masters License—A tiered USCG license authorizing a captain to operate an inspected passenger vessel, sized by vessel tonnage.Uninspected Passenger Vessel—A vessel that carries six or fewer paying passengers and is not required to hold a USCG Certificate of Inspection.

References

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