Revise with instant feedback: the moment you pick an answer you see whether it was right, with the explanation where available. Untimed — ideal before you sit a mock exam. Questions you miss keep coming back until you know them.
Exam-day conditions: no feedback until you submit, each module scored separately so you can see your weak areas, plus an overall score against the pass mark, with a full question-by-question review at the end.
The real exam is passed module by module: Rules of the Road requires 90%, most other modules 70%. Chart-plotting modules are taken on paper and not included.
The free sample is 12 questions, spread across every module in the same proportions as the real exam. The full bank contains every question from the NMC's current published sample examinations for this credential, with written explanations on the popular small-vessel credentials, one-off $29, lifetime access on up to 3 devices, all credentials included.
| Delivered by | US Coast Guard National Maritime Center; exams are sat at Coast Guard Regional Exam Centers (RECs) |
|---|---|
| Official exam | Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) endorsement examinations |
| Questions | Set per credential in your Approval to Test letter; the NMC does not publish module question counts |
| Time | Each module is sat in a 3½-hour examination period; modules are taken in consecutive periods |
| Passing score | Rules of the Road 90%; Deck General and Deck Safety 70% (NMC notice, January 2018) |
| Exam fee | Set by 46 CFR 10.219: for an original officer endorsement, evaluation $100, examination $95 (lower level) or $110 (upper level), issuance $45 |
| Pre-licensing or eligibility | Apply to the Coast Guard first; you need the NMC's Approval to Test letter before you can book. The application stays valid for 12 months |
| Book your exam | dco.uscg.mil/nmc/Examinations |
Checked 11 October 2026 from the official sources below. Rules and fees change, so confirm with US Coast Guard National Maritime Center; exams are sat at Coast Guard Regional Exam Centers (RECs) before you book.
Wheelhouse is a $29 question bank built from the Coast Guard's own sample exams, not an approved course. Here is how it compares with the courses and tools mariners usually consider, including where they are the better choice. See the comparison with Mariners Learning System, Sea School, MPT and others.
You must pass each module separately. Most modules require 70% to pass.
The exam covers 1 module: Navigation and Deck General – Safety.
This page includes free sample questions drawn from the official USCG sample examinations, with a full bank of around 50 questions across all modules available with lifetime access.
Every question comes from the U.S. Coast Guard National Maritime Center's published sample examinations, which are U.S. government works in the public domain. Wheelhouse Prep is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Coast Guard.
No. The free practice tests work in your browser with no signup. Your score history is saved on your own device.
Last updated 12 June 2026. The bank is refreshed whenever the Coast Guard publishes revised sample examinations.
A selection of free questions from the official USCG sample examinations. Use the interactive modules above for timed, scored drills.
Your vessel is taking on fuel when a small leak develops in the hose. You order the pumping stopped. Before you resume pumping, you should __________.
What is a ceiling on a vessel?
On 4 October your 1907 zone time DR position is LAT 25°15.0'S, LONG 105°44.0'E. At that time, you observe Deneb bearing 011.5°psc. The chronometer reads 00h 07m 42s, and the chronometer error is 00m 36s fast. The variation is 7.5°W. What is the deviation of the standard compass?
The signal man assisting the crane operator has his arm extended, his fingers closed, and his thumb pointing downward. This is the signal to __________.
What is one effect of running a diesel engine at too cool a temperature?
Which is the major disadvantage of a low-speed diesel as compared to a steam main-propulsion system?
What does it mean to "shore up" the main deck for the stowage of deck cargo?
You are on a tankship discharging oil and stripping cargo to a designated slop tank. This slop tank can then be __________.
Regulations concerning the stowage, lashing, and securing of timber deck cargoes aboard general cargo vessels may be found in the __________.
On an inspected vessel, which abbreviation refers to the horizontal distance between perpendiculars taken at the forward-most and the after-most points on the waterline at her deepest operating draft?
Which commodity would be regulated by subchapter D, Rules and Regulations for Tank Vessels?
What does a pyrometer measure on a diesel engine?