Seafarers Seaman Book Medical Requirements are an essential part of preparing for a career at sea. Seafarers must meet the required medical fitness standards to obtain or renew a Seaman Book and work onboard ships. To apply for or renew a seaman book (also called a CDC or SIRB), you need a seafarer medical certificate issued under STCW Regulation I/9 and MLC 2006 Standard A1.2 by a doctor the issuing flag recognises. It lasts up to two years (one year under 18) and must still be valid when the flag issues your book.
Some flags add a recency rule. Liberia, for example, wants the exam completed within the 24 months before you apply. A seafarer medical examination typically includes a general physical assessment, eyesight and color vision tests, hearing evaluation, blood and urine tests, and other health checks as required by the relevant maritime authority or employer. Understanding the seafarer medical certificate requirements, eligibility criteria, and necessary documents helps aspiring sailors and experienced seafarers complete the process smoothly and ensure they are medically fit for duty in accordance with applicable maritime regulations.
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Definition: medical requirement for a seaman book The proof of fitness a flag-state administration asks for before it issues, renews or endorses a seafarer’s record book. In practice that means one document: a seafarer medical certificate from a recognised examiner, to the STCW/MLC standard, in date. The flag does not examine you. It checks the certificate.
Seaman book Medical fitness Certificate At a glance
| Document needed | Seafarer medical certificate (often called a “medical fitness certificate” or “STCW medical”) |
| Standard | STCW Regulation I/9 and Code Section A-I/9; MLC 2006 Standard A1.2. One certificate satisfies both: “A medical certificate issued in accordance with the requirements of STCW shall be accepted” (MLC A1.2) |
| Maximum validity | 2 years; 1 year under 18; colour vision re-checked every 6 years |
| Who can issue it | A doctor recognised by the flag you are applying to. Not any GP, and never an agency |
| The rule that catches people | Valid on the issue date, not just the application date |
| Not acceptable as a substitute | A PEME report, an offshore (OEUK/OGUK) medical, or a general health check, unless the document is itself a seafarer medical certificate |
| Who decides fitness | The examining doctor. Seaman Books does not conduct medicals and cannot change an outcome |
Seaman book, CDC or SIRB: the medical rule is the same
“Seaman book”, “CDC” (Continuous Discharge Certificate) and “SIRB” (Seafarer’s Identification and Record Book) are different administrations’ names for the same kind of document: your identity plus the record of your sea service. Liberia calls its book an SIRB, the Bahamas a Seafarers’ Record Book, and Panama a libreta de embarque. More on the naming in what a CDC certificate is and CoC vs CoP vs CDC.
The medical requirement does not change with the name. It changes with the flag. A Liberian SIRB and a Panama CDC both need a seafarer medical certificate, but each administration sets its own rules on which examiners it accepts, which form it wants and how recent the exam must be.
Who needs a medical certificate for a seaman book
| Situation | Medical needed? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| First-time applicant (cadet, rating, officer) | Yes | Part of every flag’s core file, alongside passport, STCW Basic Training and photographs. See seaman book requirements for new applicants |
| Renewal | Yes, current | An expired medical is the most common reason a renewal file stalls. See seaman book renewal |
| Flag endorsement of a CoC | Yes | IMMARBE (Belize), for example, requires “appropriate evidence that the applicant is in possession of a recognized and valid medical certificate” for endorsement processing |
| Under 18 | Yes, renewed yearly | Validity drops to one year (MLC A1.2) |
| Lost or stolen book replacement | Usually | Panama Required Documents and Liberia See lost seaman book replacement |
| Already serving, medical expires mid-voyage | Covered by a limited window on some flags | See “timing rules” below |
Seaman Book Medical requirements by flag
Seaman Books files with seven flag administrations. Below is what each one publishes about the medical for its seafarer documents, as checked on 15 October 2026. Where a flag publishes nothing retrievable, we say so and do not fill the gap.
| Flag | Examiner the flag accepts | Form or document | Recency / validity rule | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberia (SIRB) | Physician completing the Liberian physical examination form | “Fit for Duty” Physical Examination Report; form RLM-105M-2 (Physical Examination Report/Certificate) | SIRB application must attach “copies of a physical exam conducted within the past 24 months” (§4.4.1). Serving ratings must hold a Fit for Duty form “within the past two (2) years of signing articles” (§5.3.3) | LISCR RLM-118 Rev.04/2026 |
| Bahamas (Seafarers’ Record Book) | A practitioner holding a medical approval certificate from the Bahamas Medical Council, or one approved by the administration of a country that has ratified STCW/MLC (§3.1) | “A clear copy of a valid seafarer medical certificate of fitness” with the application | Valid 2 years from issue (1 year under 18); validity “cannot be extended” | BMA MN028 v1.0; BMA Bulletin 107 Rev.04 §4.2.5 |
| Panama (libreta de embarque) | A certificate “acorde a la Sección A-I/9” of the STCW Code and Rating Requirement | Application form F-76 (TIT) V.03 plus the medical certificate | MLC/STCW maximum (2 years) applies; no shorter AMP window found | AMP Gente de Mar; F-76 |
| St Kitts & Nevis | Examiner rule | Form CT026, “Physical Medical Examination Report for Seafarers”, listed with the registry’s STCW application forms | Rule STCW/SKAN | SKN Registry, STCW |
| Belize | IMMARBE publishes a list of approved medical practitioners | IMMARBE publishes its own Medical Fitness Certificate form | 2 years validity and whether the IMMARBE form is mandatory for the seaman book or only for endorsements | IMMARBE seafarers’ services |
| Palau | Confirmed with the administration at application | — | — | Palau Registry |
| Honduras | Confirmed with the administration at application | — | — | Administration |
What the table tells you: the medical standard is international, but the paperwork is national. A certificate that clears one flag may need a different form, or a different examiner, for another. Check the flag before you book the doctor, not after.
Seaman Books checks your existing medical against your chosen flag’s rules on the free eligibility check, before you pay for a new one you may not need. Start the check →
What the medical certificate itself must show
A flag reads the certificate, not you. The Bahamas Maritime Authority publishes the clearest list of what a seafarer medical certificate must contain (MN028 §5.1). Use it as a checklist before you file with any flag:
- The title “Seafarer’s Medical Certificate“, or a clear equivalent
- A reference to the STCW, ILO or MLC standard it was issued under
- Your identity details and the number of the ID document the doctor checked
- The examiner’s declaration, name and signature, and their approval where the flag requires one
- Hearing, visual acuity and color vision findings, including the date of the last color vision test
- The fitness finding, any limitations or restrictions, and a yes/no on conditions likely to be aggravated by service at sea
- The date of examination and the expiry date
- Your own signature, confirming you were told the content and your right to a review
- English, or the other language with an English translation
A certificate missing any of these can be returned by an administration even when you were found fully fit. The commonest gaps we see on files are missing expiry dates, no color vision date, and an unsigned seafarer box
Timing rules: when your medical has to be valid
1. Valid on the issue date. The flag issues your book days or weeks after you file. If your medical expires in between, the file stops. Renew the medical first if it is close to expiry. Our eligibility check flags any medical with less than two months left.
2. Recency can be shorter than validity. Liberia’s SIRB rule asks for an exam within the past 24 months. In practice that matches the 2-year maximum, but it is measured to the application, and other flags may set their own window.
3. Validity cannot be stretched. The BMA states that a medical certificate’s validity “cannot be extended” (MN028 §6.1).
4. Expiry during a voyage has a limited allowance. Under MN028 §6.1, a Bahamas-flag seafarer whose certificate expires at sea may keep working until the next port where an exam is possible, or for up to three months from expiry, whichever comes first. In urgent cases the BMA may allow work without a valid certificate for up to three months, on the company’s written application, if the seafarer holds a recently expired one (§6.2–6.3). This is one flag’s rule. Do not assume another flag mirrors it.
5. Colour vision runs on its own six-year clock (MLC A1.2). A new certificate can carry forward an earlier colour vision test date, which is why the date must be printed on it.
National seaman books: India, the Philippines and the UAE
National documents follow their own country’s medical rules, not the flag-state rules above. Seaman Books does not process these documents, but you may hold one alongside a flag-state book.
| Document | Issuing authority | Medical rule | Status of this information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian CDC | Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping) | Medical by a DG Shipping–approved examiner | Not a Seaman Books service. See Indian CDC vs foreign seaman book |
| Philippine SIRB / SRB | MARINA | Marina Requirements Page | Not a Seaman Books service |
| UAE Seafarer’s Discharge Book | Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoEI) | MoEI lists a “medical report and medical fitness certificate” among the required documents | Service page showed “temporarily suspended” on 13 Oct 2026 |
Joining a Panama, Liberia or Bahamas-flag ship? Your national book stays valid as your national record, and the flag may also want its own book. Your existing seafarer medical can often be used for both, as long as the flag accepts the examiner. Seaman Books checks that before filing.
Seafarer medical, PEME, offshore medical: which one the flag wants
| Document | What it is | Accepted for a seaman book? |
|---|---|---|
| Seafarer medical certificate (STCW I/9 / MLC A1.2) | The statutory certificate of fitness for sea service | Yes, from an examiner the flag recognizes |
| ENG1 | The UK MCA’s seafarer medical certificate | Often accepted, because it is issued to the STCW/MLC standard. Confirm with your flag |
| PEME (pre-employment medical) | An employer’s or manning agency’s own exam, often with extra tests | Only if it also produced a seafarer medical certificate. Check which document you were handed |
| OEUK / OGUK offshore medical | An offshore-industry medical for UK Continental Shelf work | No. It is a different standard. See the OGUK/OEUK offshore medical guide |
What the exam actually tests, and the conditions that most often lead to an unfit result, are covered in our seafarer medical fitness test guide.
Five medical problems that get a seaman book file returned
- The certificate expires before the book is issued. Fix: renew first.
- The examiner is not one the flag accepts. Fix: check the flag’s rule (table above) before booking.
- The wrong document was supplied: a PEME summary or an offshore medical instead of the seafarer certificate.
- Fields are missing: expiry date, colour vision date, restrictions box or your signature.
- Names don’t match across passport, medical and training certificates.
Seaman Books checks for all five before a file reaches the administration.
What Seaman Books does, and does not do
We do not conduct medical examinations, issue medical certificates or influence a fitness decision. That decision belongs to the examining doctor and, on review, to the flag.
What we do: Seaman Books (Atomiq Management Consultancies L.L.C., Business Bay, Dubai, since 2011) prepares, checks and files flag-state seaman book applications with the Panama, Liberia, Bahamas, Palau, Belize, Honduras and St Kitts & Nevis administrations. On the medical, that means:
- checking that your certificate meets your chosen flag’s examiner, form and date rules before anything is filed
- telling you if it will expire before the book is likely to be issued
- filing the complete file and showing you how to verify the issued book with the administration yourself
Turnaround: a written eligibility answer, reviewed by a person, within 24 hours. Price: government fees are set by each flag and quoted separately from our service fee 50 USD+.
Apply for a seaman book online → · All services for seafarers →
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Frequently asked questions
What are the medical requirements for a seaman book?
A seafarer medical certificate issued under STCW Regulation I/9 and MLC 2006 Standard A1.2 by a doctor the issuing flag recognizes. It is valid for up to two years, or one year under 18, and must still be valid when the flag issues the book. Some flags add a recency rule.
What are the CDC medical requirements?
The same as for any seaman book, because a CDC is a seaman book under another name. You need a valid seafarer medical certificate from an examiner the issuing administration accepts. For a flag-state CDC that means the flag’s rules; for a national CDC, such as India’s, the national authority’s rules apply.
How recent must my medical be for a Liberian SIRB?
Liberia’s RLM-118 asks SIRB applicants to attach a physical exam conducted within the past 24 months. Serving ratings must hold a “Fit for Duty” physical examination form completed within two years of signing articles. Check the expiry date on your certificate as well.
Can any doctor issue the medical for my seaman book?
No. The doctor must be recognized by the flag you are applying to. The Bahamas, for example, accepts practitioners approved by the Bahamas Medical Council or by the administration of a country that has ratified STCW/MLC. Belize publishes its own list of approved practitioners.
Is a PEME accepted for a seaman book?
Only if the PEME also produced a seafarer medical certificate to the STCW/MLC standard. A PEME is ordered by the employer and may include extra tests, but the flag needs the statutory certificate. Check which document the clinic gave you before filing.
Can I use an offshore (OGUK/OEUK) medical for my seaman book?
No. The OEUK medical is an offshore-industry standard for UK Continental Shelf work. A seaman book needs a seafarer medical certificate under STCW/MLC. The two are not interchangeable, and many offshore workers hold both. Check which one your contract or flag names before booking.
Does the medical certificate have to be in English?
For the Bahamas, yes: the certificate must be in English, or include an English translation if issued in another language (BMA MN028 §5.1). Other flags set their own language rules, so ask before you file. A certificate in English, or with an English translation, avoids most translation delays.
What happens if my medical expires while my application is processing?
The file usually stops until you provide a valid certificate, because it must be valid when the book is issued. Renew before filing if your medical is close to expiry. Seaman Books flags this on the free eligibility check, before any fee is paid.
Does Seaman Books arrange medical examinations?
No. Seaman Books is a documentation consultancy. It does not examine seafarers or issue medical certificates. It checks that your certificate meets your chosen flag’s examiner, form and date rules, then files your seaman book application with the flag administration.
More on the exam itself: seafarer medical fitness test · All questions: seaman book FAQ
Written by Dipak Paudel, Seaman Books. Last checked against flag-state sources on 15 October 2026.
