New Medical Fitness Certificate requirements

09 Jun 2025 / Hong Kong

The following new requirements will be effective from 30 June 2025 (“Effective Date”) regarding medical fitness certificate (“MFC”):

(i) a MFC issued by a recognized medical practitioner shall be required in all new application for the issuance or revalidation of any class of LCoC;
and
(ii) persons operating high-risk vessels (“HRVs”) will be required to hold a valid MFC with effect from the Effective Date onwards.

In applying for a new LCoC or revalidation of a LCoC, the applicant shall submit to Marine Department (“MD”) a MFC issued by a medical practitioner recognized by MD. Once a LCoC is issued or revalidated, a new MFC will only be required at the next LCoC revalidation application.

All coxswains and engine operators operating HRVs are required to obtain a MFC every five years and a copy of the MFC shall be forwarded to MD for record and enforcement purposes. This requirement will be implemented through imposing a licensing condition in the individual Operating Licence of all HRVs. The owner or operator of HRV will receive a revised Operating Licence with the newly imposed condition.

The current requirement for coxswains of Class I vessels carrying more than 100 passengers to undergo a medical examination every five years will be replaced by the MFC. A five-year transition period from the Effective Date will be provided for one-time acceptance of a valid medical examination reports conducted within five years prior to the Effective Date in lieu of the MFC.

The examination rules for applying a new local CoC or revalidate an existing local CoC are updated accordingly in Chapters 3 and 11 of “Examination Rules for Local Certificates of Competency” and Chapters 3 and 9 of “Examination Rules for Pleasure Vessel Operator Certificate of Competency” respectively. The updated examination rules are posted on MD’s website:
https://www.mardep.gov.hk/en/pub_services/pdf/examrules_lv.pdf
https://www.mardep.gov.hk/filemanager/en/share/pub-services/pdf/examrules_ploc.pdf

(For information about operations in Hong Kong, contact GAC Hong Kong at [email protected])

Source: Government of the Hong Kong SAR Marine Department Notice No.111/2025

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