New Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) Format
New ‘Red Book’ Coming March 1
The U.S. Coast Guard is replacing the Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) passport-style booklet (“red book”) with a new one-page credential, effective March 1, 2024.
The new MMC document will be issued for all approved applications beginning March 1, 2024. Existing passport-style credentials are still valid and will NOT need to be replaced until their expiration date (5 years after issuance). The new MMC will be issued to mariners during their next application.
Mariners will no longer receive separate endorsement labels (i.e., stickers), but rather a new MMC document with the endorsements included.
The new MMC is formatted on 8.5″ x 11″ water resistant synthetic paper containing security features including anti-copy, micro-printing, foiling, and intricate patterns. It is one page, front and back, and may be displayed flat or folded.
Learn More
To learn more about the new MMC, please visit the National Maritime Center (NMC) website to read the announcement or view the MMC brochure.
To validate a new MMC, use the Coast Guard’s credential verification tool at MMLD Credential Verification. For a document search, select “MMC” as the document type and enter the document number. On the new MMC, the document number can be found on the red cover section beneath the corresponding barcode and will have the prefix “Z”.
If you have any questions, contact the NMC Customer Service Center by e-mailing IASKNMC@uscg.mil or calling 1-888-IASKNMC (427-5662).