Entry & progression
Governing: Marine Order 505 (2022), s 7 and Schedule 1. Builds on: General Purpose Hand and Coxswain.
The entitlement, line by line
Marine Order 505 lists what each domestic certificate lets you do. For the Master <24 m NC, Schedule 1 says the holder may:
| Item | Duty | Vessel limit | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Command | <24 m long | Inland waters to the outer limits of the EEZ |
| 2 | Chief mate | <45 m long | To the EEZ |
| 3 | Deck watchkeeper | <100 m and <3000 GT | To the EEZ |
| 4 | Chief mate | <100 m and <3000 GT | Inshore waters only |
| 5 | General Purpose Hand NC and Master (Inland waters) NC duties | — | — |
"Long" means the measured length defined in NSCV Part B, not the length in the charter brochure. Near coastal (NC) covers inland waters and everything out to the edge of Australia's exclusive economic zone, so the area limit in practice comes from the vessel's own service category, not your ticket.
What it does not give you
Read the Coxswain and Sailing Master entries in the same Schedule and you will see the words "command, and operate the engines". The Master <24 m NC entry says only "command". The ticket carries no engineering entitlement.
That matters because of the minimum crewing table in Marine Order 504, Schedule 1 clause 6A:
| Vessel | Minimum total | Master | Engineer |
|---|---|---|---|
| >12 m and <35 m | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| <12 m | 1 | 1 | — |
For a vessel over 12 m and under 750 kW propulsion power, the master and engineer roles may be combined in one person only if that person holds a certificate permitting engine operation, and there must still be a second crew member aboard. At 750 kW or more the roles cannot be combined. Under 12 m, a master without an engine certificate needs an extra crew member who holds one.
WARNING — the two-hat skipper Plenty of day-charter operators assume the master "does the engines". If you hold only a Master <24 m NC, you do not. Add a Marine Engine Driver (Grades 3, 2 and 1) ticket, or make sure the crewing determination in the SMS names someone who holds one.
The table applies only where the master and crew get at least 10 hours' rest in each 24; existing vessels and some others rely on the owner's own crewing determination instead.
Passengers and area
The certificate sets no passenger number. A vessel carrying more than 12 passengers is a passenger vessel (Class 1) under NSCV Part B; the number and the operational area (A to E) come from the vessel's certificate of survey and certificate of operation. Compare the Sailing Master Offshore NC, which is capped at 12 passengers outside inshore waters.
Older certificates
A Mate <80 m NC, no longer issued since 1 January 2023, is treated as a Master <24 m NC (MO 505 s 7(1)). A Navigation Act Watchkeeper (Deck) <500 GT also corresponds to a Master <24 m NC under Schedule 2. A yacht Watchkeeper, Chief Mate or Master (Yachts) certificate does not; those map to Coxswain Grade 1 NC only. Lesson 5.2 returns to that.
TIP — read Schedule 1 yourself It is two pages. Owners, insurers and marine safety inspectors all quote it; you should be able to as well.