Gibraltar does not issue its own certificates of competency. Officers on Gibraltar-flagged yachts need a UK certificate of competency or equivalent competency, or a Gibraltar endorsement of a certificate from a recognised country. Commercial yachts follow STCW, safe manning and MLC 2006 rules. Private pleasure yachts are outside MLC but must still be competently crewed.
At a glance
| Item | Rule (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Gibraltar-issued CoCs | None; Gibraltar endorses other administrations’ certificates |
| UK CoC or CEC holders | No Gibraltar endorsement needed |
| Other officers | Gibraltar endorsement under STCW regulation I/10, from a recognised country |
| Ratings | STCW watch rating certificate (II/4 or III/4) from any STCW party |
| Endorsement fee | £90 per officer endorsement; £56 for revalidation |
| MLC 2006 | Commercial yachts; certificate at 500 GT and above, Statement of Compliance below |
| Hours of rest | At least 10 hours in 24 and 77 hours in 7 days |
Whose certificates are accepted on the Gibraltar flag?
The Gibraltar Maritime Administration (GMA) does not run its own examinations for officers. Instead it relies on other administrations’ certificates in three ways.
- UK certificates. An officer with a UK-issued certificate of competency (CoC), including the MCA’s yacht certificates, can serve without a Gibraltar endorsement. The same applies to a UK Certificate of Equivalent Competency (CEC).
- Gibraltar endorsements. An officer with a CoC from another country on the GMA’s recognised list needs a Gibraltar endorsement under STCW regulation I/10. The list includes most EU states, Norway, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the USA, the Philippines, India, Ukraine and many others.
- Ratings. Watch ratings need a valid navigational or engine room watch rating certificate (STCW II/4 or III/4), which any STCW party may issue. Ratings do not need a Gibraltar endorsement.
Nationality is not restricted, provided the certificates are right. Officers at both operational and management level must have English good enough for their duties, as English is the working language on board.
The GMA’s recognised-country list (last updated December 2023) does not say whether yacht-restricted CoCs from those countries, such as Malta’s yacht certificates, are endorsed on the same terms as unrestricted ones. If your officers hold a yacht-only CoC from outside the UK, ask the GMA Seafarer Division, through your manager or crewing agent, before you sign them on.
The new MCA Yacht Unlimited route
In May 2026 the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency launched a Yacht Unlimited CoC, which lets deck officers qualify as chief mate or master on yachts above 3,000 GT using yacht sea service rather than merchant time. Because the GMA accepts UK-issued CoCs without a Gibraltar endorsement, the new certificate should be usable on Gibraltar-flagged yachts in the same way. As of October 2026 the GMA has not published a notice dealing with it specifically, so check that the yacht’s safe manning document allows for the capacity before relying on it.
How do you get a Gibraltar endorsement?
The process runs through the yacht’s management, not the individual crew member.
- Check eligibility. Confirm the officer’s CoC comes from a country on the GMA recognised list and is valid for the capacity and tonnage needed.
- Register with Seafarer HQ. The owner, operator, manager or crewing agent requests login details from the GMA Seafarer Division and applies through the Gibraltar Seafarer HQ online system. Individual applications are not normally accepted.
- Upload documents. Supply electronic copies of the CoC, supporting certificates and evidence of English proficiency. Section 4 of the application form lists what is required. The GMA says the list varies with the type of vessel and whether it is a first application or a renewal, so not every document is needed every time.
- Pay the fee. £90 for a master, chief engineer, chief mate, second engineer, officer of the watch or ETO endorsement; £56 for revalidation, extension or a duplicate (fees effective 1 August 2026).
- Receive the e-endorsement. Since 4 April 2022 endorsements are issued electronically. The electronic version counts as the original and can be checked by QR code or tracking number on the GMA verification portal.
Management-level officers may need to show knowledge of Gibraltar law and the relevant conventions, through training, testing or a short letter of authorisation. In exceptional cases the GMA can issue a provisional endorsement for up to three months. Incomplete applications are the most common cause of delay.
What is a safe manning document and does your yacht need one?
A safe manning document (SMD) states the minimum crew a vessel must carry, by number and grade. Under Gibraltar’s STCW administrative instructions, Gibraltar ships on international voyages and other Gibraltar ships of 500 GT and above must hold one.
The GMA’s Shipping Guidance Notice 077(a) explains how to apply. The owner or operator sends a proposal to the Survey Division, showing how the manning level was worked out from the yacht’s tasks, watchkeeping and emergency duties, and how it meets the hours of rest rules. The GMA can ask for changes before issuing the SMD, which must be kept on board. A new proposal is needed if the trading area, equipment or operation changes.
For pleasure yachts, the GMA’s Pleasure Vessel Handbook lists a safe manning document only where the yacht has to comply with MLC 2006, which a purely private yacht does not. The GMA does not publish separate yacht manning scales; the handbook points owners to the REG Yacht Code, STCW and IMO Resolution A.1047(27) for indicative crewing levels.
For small private yachts, the GMA’s Pleasure Vessel Handbook says most commercial manning rules do not apply. The owner must still make sure the master and crew have the competence and experience the yacht, its machinery and its voyages call for.
Does MLC 2006 apply to Gibraltar-flagged yachts?
It depends on whether the yacht operates commercially.
| Yacht | MLC position |
|---|---|
| Commercial yacht, 500 GT and above | Full MLC survey; Maritime Labour Certificate and Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance (DMLC) |
| Commercial yacht, under 500 GT | Same survey requirements; Statement of MLC Compliance instead of a certificate |
| Private pleasure yacht | Outside MLC; GMA recommends its standards as a model |
| Pleasure yacht with five or more paid crew | Seafarer employment agreement or crew agreement and crew list expected |
The GMA keeps MLC and DMLC inspections itself rather than delegating them to classification societies. MLC 2006 is given effect in Gibraltar by the Gibraltar Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) Regulations 2013, and the GMA’s Maritime Labour Notices cover employment agreements, hours of rest, repatriation, recruitment and shipowner liability. Maritime Labour Notice 036(a), issued in November 2025, sets the rules for commercial vessels under 500 GT: they need no MLC certificate but must carry an MLC inspection report, valid for three years, and owners can opt for full certification instead.
What are the rules on hours of rest and crew welfare?
The GMA applies minimum rest of 10 hours in any 24-hour period and 77 hours in any seven days. These figures come from its Maritime Labour Notice on hours of work and rest and are also cited in the Pleasure Vessel Handbook.
On commercial yachts, daily rest must be recorded and the records kept for five years. An agreed watch schedule should be displayed in crew accommodation. If records show crew are not getting enough rest, the GMA can require more crew, and persistent breaches can lead to the SMD being withdrawn.
Shore leave should be given where operations allow. Clear written employment terms are strongly advised on every yacht, commercial or private, to avoid disputes about pay, leave and repatriation.
What other crew documents are needed?
- Crew list for all vessels, kept on board and, under Shipping Guidance Notice 172 (March 2026), maintained ashore as well.
- Discharge book. A seafarer whose own country will not record service on a foreign-flagged yacht can apply for a Gibraltar record of sea service, which costs £149.
- Medical certificates and STCW basic training, as required for each role on commercial yachts.
- Radio operator certificates to match the yacht’s GMDSS equipment.
Did the 2026 UK–EU treaty change crew rules?
The treaty does not change flag-state certification. It matters for crew movements instead. Since 15 July 2026, people entering Gibraltar are subject to Schengen-linked checks at the port and airport, and visa-requiring third-country nationals follow Schengen short-stay procedures. The Government of Gibraltar’s Technical Notice 558/2026 confirms that civilian sea crew are exempt from the visa requirement when they land to join a ship, or go ashore to transit to another country, provided they hold a seafarer’s identity document issued under ILO Convention 108 or 185 or the IMO facilitation convention of 1965. Crew without such a document follow the normal Schengen short-stay rules.
Crew who live in Spain and work from Gibraltar should read working across the frontier after the treaty. For the flag itself, see registering a yacht under the Gibraltar flag, and for all guides start at the Yachts and marine hub.