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 17 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 66 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.
An annual inspection of a tank vessel shall be made between which of the following months while the Certificate of Inspection is valid?
All personnel on board a vessel should be familiar with the rescue boat's __________.
You are loading in a port governed by the tropical load line mark for a voyage to a port governed by the winter mark. The freshwater allowance is 5 inches, and the hydrometer reads 1.005. Which statement is TRUE?
What is the best indication of the loading of a diesel engine?
Which agency must approve the safety equipment on board inspected vessels?
Which defines the process of cargoes segregation?
Where should muster lists be posted?
What is the mechanical advantage of tackle number 10 as shown in illustration D029DG below?
What is the purpose of a spreader bar when loading cargo?
Which condition must be met during a stability test on an inspected vessel?
What is the purpose of the intake/exhaust valves in a diesel engine?
The galley on your cargo vessel has an area of 2,900 square feet. What will fulfill the requirements for fire protection?
In weighing CO2 cylinders, they must be recharged if weight loss exceeds which amount?
The Master of a fishing vessel must ensure that each crew member participates in at least one fire drill during which time frame?
When the height of the metacenter is greater than the height of the center of gravity, the upright equilibrium position is stable and stability is _________.
If a ship is proceeding towards the magnetic equator, which is TRUE concerning the uncorrected deviation due to permanent magnetism?
Which is the proper name given to a block that can be opened at the hook or shackle end to receive a bight of the line?