A Panama CoC endorsement is the Panama Maritime Authority’s (AMP) recognition, under STCW Regulation I/10, of a Certificate of Competency issued by another country, so an officer can serve in that rank on a Panama-flagged ship. In 2026 the AMP charges non-nationals USD 270 for an officer endorsement and USD 275 for a Master or Chief Engineer. Since 1 April 2026 the endorsement is issued electronically.
By Dipak Paudel · Maritime Documentation and Compliance Expert since 2011· Last checked against AMP sources 29 October 2026
Send us your rank, the country that issued your CoC and its expiry date, and we’ll tell you before you pay whether Panama will endorse it. WhatsApp +971 55 458 3416 · Free eligibility check
Panama CoC endorsement at a glance
| Issued by | Autoridad Marítima de Panamá (AMP), Departamento de Titulación |
| Legal basis | STCW Regulation I/10 |
| Who needs it | Officers with a foreign CoC joining a Panama-flagged ship |
| AMP fee, non-nationals | USD 275 Master / Chief Engineer · USD 270 officers · USD 185 GMDSS operator |
| Lets you join | Processing Certificate of Endorsement, typically 3 to 5 business days after a complete file is submitted |
| Final document | Electronic endorsement with an “E” number and QR code (since 1 April 2026) |
| Validity | Ends when the CoC it recognizes expires |
| Verify it | QR scan, AMP online consultation, or verification@amp.gob.pa |
Do you need a Panama CoC endorsement or a Panama seaman book?
Usually both, because they do different jobs. The seaman book (SIRB) records your identity and sea service. The CoC endorsement recognizes the rank your own country certified you for. A Chief Officer with a valid Indian or Filipino CoC and a Panama seaman book still can’t sail as Chief Officer under Panama’s flag without the I/10 endorsement. Ratings normally need the Panama seaman book and course endorsements, not a CoC endorsement.
For how this works across flags, see our guide to flag state endorsement.
Who Panama will not endorse
Check this before you pay anyone. Under Merchant Marine Circular 344 (January 2025), the AMP does not recognize by endorsement CoCs, certificates of proficiency, course certificates or seaman’s books issued to non-nationals by these administrations:
Belize · Bolivia · Cook Islands · Dominica · Honduras · Mauritania · Palau · Samoa · Sint Maarten · Syria · Venezuela · Vanuatu
“Non-national” means you weren’t born in, or naturalized by, the country that issued the document. A Belizean officer with a Belize CoC can apply. An Indian officer holding a Belize CoC can’t. The AMP refuses all seafarer documents issued by North Korea, and it can ask for more documents on any file. Source: MMC-344.
Your CoC must also come from a party to STCW that the AMP hasn’t restricted. Panama’s version of the IMO “white list” is MMC-343.
Documents required for Panama CoC Endorsement
From the AMP’s own requirement sheet for I/10 endorsements (Form TIT, version 25, 27 May 2025):
- Application form F-76, completed and signed.
- Original valid passport (non-nationals).
- One color photograph, 4 × 4 cm, face and shoulders, white background, no head covering, taken within the last six months.
- Your Certificate of Competency, issued under STCW Regulation I/2 by a party the AMP doesn’t restrict.
- A security certificate endorsed by the AMP: either designated security duties (A-VI/6-2) or Ship Security Officer (A-VI/5).
- GMDSS certificate (Regulation IV/2), where your rank requires it.
- A valid original medical certificate under STCW Section A-I/9 and/or MLC 2006.
Tanker officers endorse their tanker certificates of proficiency (V/1-1 oil and chemical, V/1-2 liquefied gas) through a separate AMP list.
Item 5 catches people out. A security certificate that hasn’t been endorsed by Panama doesn’t meet the requirement. The AMP charges a separate fee to verify a security course for an I/10 endorsement. Ask for it in the same file and you avoid a second round trip.
How the Panama CoC Endorsement application works?
- Eligibility check. We confirm your CoC’s issuing country, nationality link, rank and expiry against MMC-344 and MMC-343.
- File review. We check every document against the AMP list above, including the photo specification and medical validity, before anything is submitted.
- Submission and fees. The file goes to the AMP through an authorised office, with the AMP fees paid.
- Processing Certificate of Endorsement. The AMP issues it while the endorsement is finalised. You can travel and join on it.
- Electronic endorsement. The AMP issues the endorsement electronically, with an “E”-prefixed number and a QR code.
- Verify it yourself. Scan the QR code or use the AMP’s online consultation before you sail.
How long does it take?
The Processing Certificate of Endorsement typically arrives in 3 to 5 business days once a complete, verified file is submitted, and it’s valid for 90 days. That’s the document that gets you on board.
The AMP also runs a paid FAST evaluation for endorsements, delivered in under 24 hours subject to compliance with AMP requirements. It’s worth paying for only if your joining date is days away.
The AMP doesn’t publish a standard day count for the final electronic endorsement, so we won’t invent one. We give you the date in writing when we confirm your file.
What it costs
These are the AMP’s published charges for non-nationals (F-84). They are the flag’s fees, not ours.
| AMP charge | USD | AED (at 3.6725) |
|---|---|---|
| CoC endorsement: Master or Chief Engineer | 275 | 1,010 |
| CoC endorsement: Deck, engine, ETO and radio-electronic officers | 270 | 992 |
| CoC endorsement: GMDSS General or Restricted Operator | 185 | 679 |
| Tanker CoP endorsement (V/1-1, V/1-2) | 40 | 147 |
| Application fee, per application | 8 | 29 |
| Handling through a consulate or authorised office | 20 | 73 |
| Security course verification for an I/10 endorsement | 50 | 184 |
| FAST, under 24 hours (optional) | 100 | 367 |
Worked example: an officer applying through an authorised office, with security verification and no FAST, pays USD 348 (about AED 1,278) in AMP charges: 270 + 8 + 20 + 50. Panama sets these fees, and no agent can discount them.
Our service fee is separate and itemized on your quote, Different from country, location per application. It covers the eligibility check, file review, submission and follow-up to issue.
Renewing or upgrading a Panama endorsement
A Panama endorsement can’t outlast the CoC it recognizes. When you revalidate your national CoC, the Panama endorsement has to follow. Start once your new CoC is issued, and keep your medical and security certificates in date at the same time. If your STCW Basic Safety Training is also due, revalidate it before you file. For an upgrade (Second Officer to Chief Officer, say), Panama endorses the new CoC as a new application at the new rank’s fee.
How to check a Panama endorsement is genuine
- Scan the QR code on an electronic endorsement. It resolves to the AMP record.
- Use the AMP online consultation, or email verification@amp.gob.pa. Walkthrough: how to verify a Panama seaman book online.
- An endorsement issued after 1 April 2026 on security paper doesn’t match the format MMC-331 describes. Verify it before you rely on it.
- No endorsement without a CoC. Anyone offering a Panama endorsement to someone without a valid foreign CoC is selling something that fails at the first inspection.
- No one can guarantee AMP approval, including us.
For officers based in the UAE and GCC
We file Panama endorsements from our office at #903 Regal Tower, Business Bay, Dubai, open 09:30 to 18:00. You can bring originals in person or work entirely over WhatsApp. If you need a Panama seaman book, a medical and an endorsement for the same joining date, we run them as one file.
FAQ
What is a Panama CoC endorsement?
It is the Panama Maritime Authority’s recognition, under STCW Regulation I/10, of a Certificate of Competency issued by another country. It lets an officer serve in the certified rank on a Panama-flagged ship. It doesn’t replace your national CoC, and it isn’t a seaman book.
How much does a Panama CoC endorsement cost?
The AMP charges non-nationals USD 270 for an officer endorsement, USD 275 for a Master or Chief Engineer, and USD 185 for a GMDSS operator, plus a USD 8 application fee and USD 20 when filed through an authorised office. FAST under-24-hour handling is an optional extra. Agency fees are separate.
How long does a Panama endorsement take?
The Processing Certificate of Endorsement typically takes 3 to 5 business days from a complete file and lets you join. The AMP’s paid FAST evaluation delivers in under 24 hours. The AMP doesn’t publish a standard time for the final electronic endorsement, so ask for a written date.
Can I join a Panama ship before the endorsement is issued?
Yes. The AMP issues a Processing Certificate of Endorsement while your file is finalised, and you can join a Panama-flagged ship on it. It is valid for 90 days. Carry it with your original CoC, passport, medical certificate and seaman book, because inspectors check the full set.
Will Panama endorse a CoC from Belize, Honduras or Palau?
Not if you’re a non-national of that country. Merchant Marine Circular 344 lists 12 administrations whose CoCs, proficiency and course certificates and seaman’s books Panama won’t recognise when issued to non-nationals, including Belize, Honduras and Palau. Nationals of those countries can still apply.
Is a Panama endorsement paper or electronic?
Electronic. Since 1 April 2026, the AMP has issued CoCs and their I/10 endorsements electronically, with an “E” number and a QR code that links to the AMP record. Paper endorsements issued up to 31 March 2026 stay valid until they expire.
How long is a Panama endorsement valid?
It can’t outlast the CoC it recognises. When your national CoC expires or is revalidated, the Panama endorsement has to be renewed against the new certificate, at the AMP fee for your rank. Plan it alongside your CoC revalidation so the two don’t lapse together. [VERIFY V4]
Check your eligibility before you pay
Send your rank, the country that issued your CoC, its expiry date and your nationality. We’ll tell you whether Panama will endorse it and give you a written, itemised quote with AMP fees and ours shown separately.
- WhatsApp: +971 55 458 3416
- Office: #903 Regal Tower, Business Bay, Dubai, UAE, 09:30 to 18:00
Seaman Books is a documentation support and processing agency. Endorsements are issued only by the Autoridad Marítima de Panamá.
