Scope of the certificates
Governing: Marine Order 505 (2022), Compilation No. 2, Schedule 1; NSCV Part B dictionary. Builds on: Australia: AMSA, the National Law and STCW.
Before you think about sea service or oral exams, know exactly what the ticket says you may do. Examiners open with it, surveyors check it, and an operator's insurer will ask. For domestic commercial vessels the answer is in Schedule 1 of Marine Order 505, not in the course title.
The two certificates side by side
| Master <45 m NC | Master <100 m NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Command within the EEZ | vessel <45 m long | vessel <100 m and <3000 GT |
| Command in inshore waters | vessel <100 m and <3000 GT | as above |
| Chief mate / deck watchkeeper | vessel <100 m and <3000 GT <EEZ | covered by command |
| Also permits | General Purpose Hand NC | GPH NC, Master <24 m NC, Master <45 m NC |
In MO 505, <EEZ is shorthand for inland waters and waters out to the outer limits of Australia's exclusive economic zone. NC (near coastal) covers the same span. Length means measured length under NSCV Part B — not the brochure LOA.
CAUTION — the tonnage limit is real Master <100 m NC is limited to vessels under 3000 GT as well as under 100 m. One AMSA web page describes it by length alone; the Marine Order and AMSA's own guidance notice include the tonnage. The Marine Order wins.
What "inshore waters" means
MO 505 defines inshore waters as inland waters plus waters landward of the outer limits for inshore operations, a term borrowed from NSCV Part B. Part B defines inshore operations as operations conducted laterally along the coast from the vessel's base or regular port of departure, within 15 nm to seaward of the baseline of the Australian mainland, the Tasmanian mainland or a recognised island, or within sheltered waters limits.
So a Master <45 m NC can command a 70 m ferry across a harbour or along the coast inside 15 nm, but take a 50 m vessel 40 nm offshore and the command limit falls back to 45 m.
Why length, not tonnage
NSCV Part B notes that the domestic system is length based while international standards such as STCW are tonnage based. For certificates of competency, Part B gives an equivalence table: 45 m ≈ 1000 GT and 80 m ≈ 3000 GT. Keep that in mind when a yacht captain asks how a "<45 m" ticket compares with a 500 GT one.
What these tickets are not
They are domestic certificates under the Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law. They do not authorise command of a regulated Australian vessel or a foreign-flag yacht under the Navigation Act, and they are not STCW certificates. For the international deck ladder see Master <500 GT (Yachts) and Master <3000 GT (Yachts).
Where you will see them
- Harbour and coastal ferries, reef and island transfer vessels
- Large day-charter catamarans and party vessels
- Workboats, landing barges, offshore supply and survey craft on the coast
- Tenders and support vessels in Australian domestic service
TIP — read the conditions line Every certificate carries conditions (MO 505 s13). A colour vision deficiency, for example, restricts master certificates to daylight hours. Check your own card before you accept a night run.