Where this sits
Governing: STCW regulations VI/1 to VI/3; MSN 1865 (M) Amendment 1, section 4.4 and Annex A; MIN 643 (M+F), section 5. Builds on: Personal Survival Techniques, Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting.
The rule
MSN 1865 section 4.4 (regulation 43 of the 2022 Regulations): if you are serving on board and are qualified in any of the following, you must have documentary evidence of having completed the course, or updated it, within the last 5 years.
| Certificate | STCW | Update every 5 years? |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Survival Techniques (PST) | A-VI/1-1 | Yes |
| Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting (FPFF) | A-VI/1-2 | Yes |
| Elementary First Aid (EFA) | A-VI/1-3 | No |
| Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities (PSSR) | A-VI/1-4 | No, but see MGN 718 below |
| Survival Craft and Rescue Boats (PSCRB) | A-VI/2-1 | Yes |
| Fast Rescue Boats (PFRB) | A-VI/2-2 | Yes |
| Advanced Fire Fighting (AFF) | A-VI/3 | Yes |
| Medical First Aid | A-VI/4-1 | No |
| Medical Care | A-VI/4-2 | Yes, for the designated person: a certificate issued within the preceding 5 years (MSN 1865 5.3) |
| Security Awareness, PDSD, SSO | A-VI/6, A-VI/5 | No |
MIN 643 section 5.1 confirms there is no requirement to update PSSR, EFA or Medical First Aid.
Linked updates
The notes to MSN 1865 Annex A tie some certificates together:
- updating PSCRB means you must also update PST, whether or not PST was part of your original training;
- updating AFF means you must also update FPFF, likewise.
Which certificates you must keep in date
Annex A lists what each certificate holder must update. Extracts relevant to yachts:
| Certificate held | PST | PSCRB | FPFF | AFF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watch rating (deck) II/4, including yacht ratings | Yes | Yes | ||
| Able Seafarer Deck II/5 | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| OOW (Yachts) <3000 GT | Yes | Yes | ||
| Master (Yachts) <500 GT | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Chief Mate or Master (Yachts) <3000 GT | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Yacht engineer Y1 to Y4; MEOL | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
If you hold a certificate outside your CoC requirement, for example a PFRB, and you have duties that use it, you must keep it in date too.
CAUTION: The OOW (Yachts) anomaly Annex A lists only PST and FPFF for the OOW (Yachts) <3000 GT CoC. MSN 1861, which governs revalidation, lists PST, FPFF, PSCRB and AFF for every CoC. Lesson 3.1 covers this. Plan for all four unless the MCA confirms otherwise.
The one-off addition: MGN 718
Since 1 January 2026, STCW Table A-VI/1-4 includes a competence on preventing and responding to violence and harassment. MGN 718 requires holders of UK PSSR certificates dated before 1 January 2026, and all UK CoC and CoP holders, to complete the free OneOcean module 0900 by 31 March 2027. It takes about an hour and has no final assessment. It is not a five-yearly refresher, but missing it may affect revalidation. See Personal Safety & Social Responsibilities, L3.3.
TIP: Make a list Write down every STCW certificate you hold, the date it was issued or last updated, and whether it is on the five-year list. That list is the starting point for Module 3.