Last updated 2026-08-19
TL;DR
Arizona runs no six-pack captain board. The U.S. Coast Guard National Maritime Center issues the Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels (OUPV) credential, which is the federal six-pack license. You need it to carry up to six passengers for hire where 46 U.S.C. § 8903 applies. Published USCG user fees sit in 46 CFR 10.219. Sea time is the long wait. Confirm current fees and processing with NMC before you file.
Do you need a license for six-pack captain in Arizona?
Yes, if you take money to carry passengers on waters covered by federal manning law. The license is the Coast Guard OUPV, the card people mean when they say six-pack. Arizona prints no separate commercial captain card.
46 U.S.C. § 8903 is the statute that bites. For a vessel under 100 gross tons carrying not more than 6 passengers, including at least one passenger-for-hire, the vessel "may not be operated unless at least one licensed individual is on board." [2]
Nobody pays, you are running family, you are outside six-pack work. The minute you advertise a per-head sunset trip, you are in it. I would not hide a fare in a tip jar and call it private use. That trick is old. It fails the day someone gets hurt.
Arizona Game and Fish does not issue this credential. They number watercraft and run the state boater course. [5][7] Those are real obligations. They are a different stack.
On Lake Havasu, Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, and Lake Powell, treat the federal license as required. Those waters sit on the Colorado River system, and Coast Guard units work that chain. Interior lakes are messier. Some stay quiet. Some already have daily paid pontoon trips. If you sell a seat, hold the OUPV before the first paid trip, even if you have never seen a cutter on that reservoir.
Land managers and insurers often ask for the same card. That is a contract condition. It is not proof Arizona built a board.
A six-pack captain Arizona outing that stays under six heads still has to match the vessel type. This is an uninspected passenger vessel path. Seven paying guests is a different license and usually an inspected boat. Do not squeeze one more.
Is there an Arizona six-pack captain board?
No. There is no Arizona six-pack captain board. The credentialing office is the U.S. Coast Guard National Maritime Center. [13]
People say board because other trades have one. This trade does not run that way here. You do not sit a state oral. You do not get an Arizona captain number. You file federal forms, prove sea time, pass a physical and a chemical test, and wait on NMC.
Arizona has no Regional Exam Center. Skip an approved course and sit the Coast Guard modules, and you travel. The nearby REC for Arizona applicants is usually the Long Beach, California area. That is why the six-pack captain board in California path matters even if your boat never leaves the desert.
Use the current OUPV checklist NMC publishes, not a screenshot from a forum thread. [6] State agencies still matter for the hull and the business. They are not the license board, and they cannot stamp an MMC.
How much does six-pack captain cost in Arizona?
Coast Guard user fees are federal. Arizona adds no state captain license tax on top of the MMC. 46 CFR 10.219 Table 1 lists original officer evaluation at $100, examination at $110, and issuance at $45. [4]
Confirm those dollars on the live NMC fees page before you pay. [3] User fees change by rulemaking. I will not promise a cashier still takes last year's number.
You also pay for a TWIC (TSA sets that fee; confirm it on the TWIC program page), a DOT/USCG drug collection, a merchant mariner physical on form CG-719K, first aid and CPR, photos, and either an approved OUPV course or travel to an REC. [9][14][15]
I will not invent school tuition. Arizona classroom prices and national online prices move. Get a written quote. An approved course can replace the Coast Guard exam, which drops the $110 examination line if NMC accepts the certificate. [4][6]
The state still wants watercraft numbering money if the boat is on Arizona’s system. [7] A city business license and transaction privilege tax can apply if you sell tours. Confirm those with the city and the Arizona Department of Revenue. I would not buy a fat "state captain package." That product does not exist.
Waste of money: lifetime memberships, embroidered certificate mills, and anyone who offers to invent your sea time. Want another state’s fee stack for comparison? Six-pack captain cost in Connecticut walks through a coastal pile. The MMC lines match, because they come from the same CFR table.
How long does six-pack captain take in Arizona?
Sea time is the long item, not the PDF. 46 CFR 11.467 requires 360 days of service for an OUPV endorsement. [1] A day of service follows the credentialing rules. It is not "I launched after lunch." Boat only on weekends and 360 days can take several years. Nobody has a clean public dataset of how long Arizona applicants wait on the water. Your logbook is the clock.
After the time is real, you still need medical clearance, TWIC enrollment or the card, and a proper chemical test. NMC processing time is whatever the National Maritime Center is posting that month. I will not invent a week count, and I will not guarantee an approval date. Read the live NMC credential pages and treat any dashboard number as a snapshot. [13]
An approved course is usually days to a couple of weeks of class, plus your own study. The exam route depends on REC appointments, which Arizona does not control.
TWIC appointments add their own wait. Enrollment centers in the Phoenix and Tucson areas open and close. Check TSA’s locator. Do not mail the MMC packet until you know how you will show TWIC, because NMC will park the file. [6][9]
What sea time and exams does the Coast Guard require?
46 CFR 11.467 is the OUPV rule. An original endorsement needs 360 days of service. [1] Recency and the rest of the officer baseline sit in 46 CFR 11.201. [8] Read both. Do not trust a 2014 forum post.
The same section limits a near-coastal OUPV to "domestic, near-coastal waters not more than 100 miles offshore, the Great Lakes, and all inland waters of the United States." [1] An inland endorsement is narrower. Arizona work is inland. If your time is all reservoirs, inland is the honest stamp. If you might later run out of a California port, near-coastal is more useful, but only if the sea service supports it. I would not invent ocean days to get the wider card.
Exam modules cover rules of the road, navigation general, and deck general and safety. An accepted course completion can waive those modules. [6] You must be at least 18. [8] You need first aid and CPR from a provider NMC still accepts. Confirm the provider list on the current checklist, because brands get added and dropped.
Service letters should name the vessel, length or tonnage, waters, dates, and your duties. Family boats can count if the letter is true. Fake time is a criminal problem. I would rather file late than file fiction.
Which Arizona waters actually trigger a USCG six-pack license?
Federal manning applies when you operate an uninspected passenger vessel with a passenger-for-hire on the waters the statute covers. [2] On the Colorado River chain (Lake Powell, Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, Lake Havasu, and the river mainstem) assume it applies.
Interior reservoirs such as Roosevelt, Apache, Canyon, Saguaro, Pleasant, and Bartlett are a fact-specific call. Some already support paid ski and pontoon work. Forest Service and Reclamation permits, plus insurers, often demand the OUPV even when you have never met a boarding team. I would get the license before I advertised sunset cruises on any named Arizona lake. The card is cheaper than the argument after a bad afternoon.
National Park waters add a second layer. Lake Mead National Recreation Area tells people who want to do business in the park that they need park authorization. [10] Glen Canyon, which is Lake Powell, runs the same kind of commercial-use gate. [11] The park is not a substitute board. It is a land manager with its own insurance minimums.
Utah and Nevada share some of these lakes. Your MMC is federal, so the license crosses the state line. Park permits do not. If your work also touches the upper basin, read six-pack captain board in Colorado. For a thicker commercial passenger culture, six-pack captain board in Florida is the contrast, not the Arizona rulebook.
Does an OUPV replace Arizona boater education?
No. Different paper. Arizona Revised Statutes § 5-327 says a person born on or after January 1, 1989 "shall not operate a motorized watercraft on the waterways of this state without having completed an educational course on boating safety" that is NASBLA-approved and accepted here. [5]
That statute is about running a motorized watercraft in Arizona. The OUPV is about carrying passengers for hire under federal law. Born on or after that date, carry both. A Game and Fish stop on a Saturday at Lake Pleasant is more common than a cutter pulling alongside.
AZGFD runs the state course and card program. Confirm the current state card fee with them. Do not skip the course because you already paid NMC.
Born before January 1, 1989, and the course mandate in § 5-327 does not hit you the same way. The federal license still does, if you carry passengers for hire. The OUPV does not age out of that duty.
What paper packet does NMC want from an Arizona applicant?
Use the current OUPV checklist from NMC. [6] Typical pieces are form CG-719B, medical form CG-719K, chemical-test form CG-719P, sea service letters or small-vessel form CG-719S, TWIC, proof of citizenship or lawful permanent residence, first aid and CPR, photos, user-fee payment, and either a course completion or REC exam results.
Want the federal forms and a study map in one stack? OUPVPath sells a $149 one-time USCG OUPV + Bareboat Kit at /start. NMC still decides the credential. OUPVPath is an independent publisher, not a law firm and not a filing service.
Mail versus electronic filing instructions change. Follow the checklist dated for this year, not a binder from a friend who got licensed a decade ago.
Medical standards live in 46 CFR 10.302. [14] Color vision, cardiac history, and untreated sleep apnea stall files. Get the physical before you pay for a course if you already know you have an issue.
Drug tests have to come from a DOT-approved collector and a SAMHSA lab. 46 CFR 16.210 is the chemical-testing piece. [15] A random clinic five-panel is often the wrong test. Ask for a USCG/DOT collection by name. I have no patience for paying twice.
OUPV can go to a U.S. citizen or, unlike most master and mate endorsements, to a resident alien who meets 46 CFR 10.221. [12] Bring the right identity pages the first time.
What extra Arizona and land-manager permits sit on top?
The MMC does not register the boat. Arizona watercraft numbering sits in Title 5. ARS § 5-321 is the registration and fee statute. [7] If the boat is federally documented, ask AZGFD how they treat documented vessels on state waters before you launch a six-pack hull at Lake Havasu.
Operate as a business and you form the entity with the Arizona Corporation Commission and pick up local privilege tax licenses. I am not walking through tax elections. Use a CPA.
Parks and forests still want their own paper. Lake Mead NRA commercial use is one gate. [10] Glen Canyon commercial use is another. [11] Tonto National Forest special-use permits show up on the Salt and Verde chain. Bureau of Reclamation sits behind some reservoirs. Each one writes its own insurance minimums. Those numbers often run higher than a weekend ski policy. Confirm them with the office that owns the ramp, not with a Facebook group.
City launch rules are local. Lake Havasu City is picky about commercial activity on city shoreline. Read the city code. A comment thread is not a permit.
Other inland states run this same split between a federal license and local land managers. six-pack captain board in Idaho is a fair parallel if you work high-desert lakes and federal reservoirs.
How does Arizona compare with nearby states?
The MMC is the same card in every state. Fees in 46 CFR 10.219 do not change at the Arizona line. [4] What changes is the extra state boater card, the nearest REC, and whether a park runs the shoreline.
| Item | Arizona | Federal USCG |
|---|---|---|
| Who issues the six-pack card | No state board | National Maritime Center |
| Paying passengers on a small UPV | Follows federal law | Not more than 6 if under 100 GT |
| State boater education | ARS 5-327 if born on or after Jan 1, 1989 | Not a substitute |
| In-state REC | None | Approved course or out-of-state REC |
California has the nearby REC and a real near-coastal job market. Nevada shares Lake Mead and also runs no state captain board. Utah shares Lake Powell. Colorado sits upstream. Florida has more boarding culture and more year-round six-pack work. Hawaii is a different operational world, but the OUPV rule text is still 11.467. See six-pack captain board in Hawaii if you ever take the card offshore.
Arizona’s real difference is geography. You will spend more time on reservoir permits, summer heat, and afternoon wind than on fog and tides.
What do first-year operations look like after you have the card?
You can carry no more than six passengers for hire on an uninspected vessel that fits the six-pack definition. [2] Count heads. A child is a passenger. The cousin who Venmo’d you $40 is a passenger. The dog is not.
Carry the MMC under the Coast Guard’s current carrying rules, plus registration, insurance, and any park authorization. I keep a dry-bag binder. It is ugly. It works.
First-year six-pack captain Arizona work is mostly fishing charters, wake coaching, and sunset pontoon trips. Afternoon wind on Lake Pleasant and Havasu will beat you up. File a float plan with someone on shore. No harbor master is coming for you on a desert lake after dark.
Do not exceed six. The upgrade is a Master endorsement and, for more heads, an inspected vessel. That is a different pile. I would not promise a seventh seat just this once.
Keep sea time notes as you go. Renewal follows the expiration NMC prints on the credential. Future you will not remember 2026 trip dates. Confirm renewal fees and any recency rules with NMC when the window opens. No article can lock those dates for you.
What is a waste of money, and what would I actually do?
I would log sea time now, get the physical and TWIC next, then buy one approved course. I would not pay a consultant to talk to the Arizona board. There is no Arizona board to talk to.
Skip framed certificate mills. Skip anyone who writes sea service for a fee without knowing the boat. Do buy passenger-for-hire liability insurance before the first paid trip. Confirm the policy is not a rec policy with a quiet exclusion for charters.
Work another state later and your MMC travels. State extras do not. Read that state’s page when you go.
For a single kit of the federal forms and study map, the $149 USCG OUPV + Bareboat Kit is at /start. Confirm every fee and processing time with NMC and AZGFD. No publisher can approve your license.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a license for six-pack captain in Arizona?
Yes, if you carry at least one passenger-for-hire on an uninspected vessel under 100 gross tons with no more than six passengers, on waters covered by 46 U.S.C. § 8903. The license is the federal OUPV from the Coast Guard, not an Arizona card. Friends-and-family trips with no fare are outside that statute. Confirm a specific lake with the Coast Guard if you are unsure.
How much does six-pack captain cost in Arizona?
46 CFR 10.219 Table 1 lists original officer MMC evaluation at $100, examination at $110, and issuance at $45. Confirm those amounts on the live NMC fees page before you pay. Add TWIC, a DOT/USCG drug test, a CG-719K physical, first aid and CPR, and either an approved course or REC travel. Arizona charges no separate state captain license fee.
How long does six-pack captain take in Arizona?
The 360 days of service in 46 CFR 11.467 is usually the long wait, especially if you only boat weekends. After the file is complete, NMC processing is whatever the National Maritime Center is posting that month. Do not treat any blog’s week count as a promise. Approved courses compress the exam step, not the sea time.
Can I run a six-pack on Lake Havasu with only the Arizona boater card?
No. The Arizona boater education card under ARS § 5-327 is about operating a motorized watercraft. It does not authorize passengers-for-hire. Lake Havasu sits on the Colorado River system, where you should treat 46 U.S.C. § 8903 as in force. You may need both the state card and the OUPV.
Is inland OUPV enough for Lake Powell?
Lake Powell is inland water. An inland OUPV matches that geography if NMC issued it without a near-coastal route. You still need Glen Canyon commercial authorization to do business in the recreation area. Near-coastal is optional extra room if your sea time supports it and you might work elsewhere later.
Does Arizona issue a commercial captain license?
No. There is no Arizona six-pack captain board and no state-issued commercial captain license for this work. The National Maritime Center issues the OUPV. Arizona handles watercraft numbering, boater education, business filings, and taxes. Parks and forests issue land-use permits. Keep those piles separate.
Where do I take the USCG exam if I live in Phoenix?
Arizona has no Regional Exam Center. Most applicants either complete a Coast Guard-approved OUPV course, which can waive the exam, or travel to an out-of-state REC such as the Long Beach, California area. Confirm current REC locations and appointment rules with NMC. Do not assume a Phoenix classroom is an official REC.
Do I need a TWIC in Arizona?
NMC’s OUPV checklist still calls for TWIC enrollment or the card as part of the MMC file. TSA runs TWIC, not Arizona. Desert lakes are not container terminals, but the credentialing packet does not care. Confirm the current enrollment fee and nearest center on the TSA TWIC page before you book.
Can a green card holder get an OUPV?
Yes, if they meet 46 CFR 10.221. An OUPV can go to a U.S. citizen or a resident alien. Most master and mate officer endorsements still require citizenship. Bring the permanent resident card and follow the identity instructions on the current NMC checklist. NMC, not a state office, decides the file.
Does the OUPV cover more than six passengers on an Arizona lake?
No. The six-passenger cap is in the uninspected-vessel statute, not in a state courtesy rule. A child counts. Moving the trip to Roosevelt or Powell does not raise the cap. More than six paying passengers generally means an inspected vessel and a different officer endorsement.
Do I need this license to rent a boat with no captain?
A true bareboat, or demise, charter is a different arrangement. The charterer operates the boat. If you stay aboard and run the trip, or the “rental” is just a six-pack in disguise, you are back in passenger-for-hire territory. NMC and the statute look at how the trip actually runs, not the flyer wording.
What if I only charge for fuel?
A pure equal split of actual fuel among people who already planned the trip is the gray area operators argue about. A posted per-head price, even if you call it fuel, looks like a fare. I would not build a business on that distinction. If guests found you through an ad and they pay to ride, get the OUPV.
Which Coast Guard office covers Arizona lakes?
Credentialing is national, through NMC. On-water enforcement on the Colorado River chain falls under Coast Guard District 11 units that work Lake Mead and the lower river. For a written answer on a specific interior reservoir, ask the Coast Guard in writing. Do not take a ramp rumor as jurisdiction.
Can I use California sea time for an Arizona-based license?
Yes. Sea service is about the vessel and the waters, not the state printed on your driver’s license. Time on California boats can support an MMC you later use on Arizona lakes, if the letters meet NMC rules. The license itself is federal. Park permits and the Arizona boater card still stay local.
Sources
- eCFR 46 CFR 11.467 OUPV endorsement requirements: OUPV original endorsement requires 360 days of service and sets inland vs near-coastal (100 miles) limits
- U.S. Code 46 U.S.C. § 8903 Uninspected passenger vessels: A UPV under 100 GT carrying not more than 6 passengers including at least one passenger-for-hire may not be operated unless a licensed individual is on board
- U.S. Coast Guard National Maritime Center user fees page: NMC publishes the live merchant mariner credential user fees applicants must confirm before paying
- eCFR 46 CFR 10.219 Table 1 user fees: Original officer MMC evaluation $100, examination $110, and issuance $45 as listed in Table 1
- Arizona Revised Statutes § 5-327 boating safety education: Operators born on or after January 1, 1989 must complete a NASBLA-approved boating safety course before operating motorized watercraft in Arizona
- USCG NMC OUPV application checklist MCP-FM-NMC5-03: NMC checklist lists the OUPV forms, TWIC, sea service, medical, drug test, and course or exam evidence
- Arizona Revised Statutes § 5-321 watercraft registration: Arizona requires watercraft registration and payment of the statutory numbering fees under Title 5
- eCFR 46 CFR 11.201 general officer endorsement requirements: General officer rules include minimum age and other baseline eligibility for endorsements such as OUPV
- Transportation Security Administration TWIC program page: TSA administers TWIC enrollment, card issuance, and the current published TWIC fee
- National Park Service Lake Mead NRA doing business / commercial use: Commercial activity in Lake Mead National Recreation Area requires park authorization in addition to any federal license
- National Park Service Glen Canyon NRA doing business with us: Commercial operators on Lake Powell / Glen Canyon need park commercial-use authorization
- eCFR 46 CFR 10.221 citizenship and resident alien rules: OUPV may be issued to a U.S. citizen or a resident alien; most other officer endorsements require citizenship
- USCG NMC merchant mariner credential program page: NMC is the office that evaluates MMC applications and posts current credentialing process information
- eCFR 46 CFR 10.302 medical standards: Merchant mariner medical fitness standards for officer endorsements are set in 46 CFR 10.302
- eCFR 46 CFR 16.210 pre-employment chemical testing: Applicants must complete required chemical testing through the USCG/DOT drug-testing program