Check your tickets!

Transport Canada (TC) now offers the capability of checking the validity of any Canadian seafarer’s certificates. In its most recent Ship Safety Bulletin released, TC announced that a new, free, website service is available online, for anyone to use to check the validity of a certificate of competency / proficiency, seafarer medical or other endorsement

The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) recommends that maritime organizations offer an electronic way to verify the validity of certificates of competency, certificates of proficiency and endorsements. Specifically, this recommendation came from the 2010 Manila Amendments, Regulation I/2, paragraph 16.

TC SSB 02/2019

The following information is needed to perform a validation check :

• Candidate Document Number (CDN);
• Date of Issue (YYYY-MM-DD); and
• Certificate Name.

Verify the status of a certificate or endorsement

I initially tried to verify several of my certificates, and all requests could not be completed. I contacted TC and they were prompt in responding; they had some problems with the website, but the key in the process is to be exact in the syntax when entering information.