Every Merchant Mariner Credential — deckhand, able seaman, engineer, captain, yacht crew — needs a Coast Guard medical certificate, and the exam behind it is the CG-719K. UrgentMed completes the CG-719K and the shorter CG-719K/E for entry-level ratings as a walk-in visit at Davie or Plantation, with the DOT-regulated drug test the Coast Guard also requires (CG-719P) collected at the same visit — minutes from Port Everglades and the Fort Lauderdale yachting community.
The merchant mariner medical examination (CG-719K)
The Coast Guard accepts the exam from a licensed physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner. It records:
- Medical history and current medications — the Coast Guard reviews certain conditions and medications closely, so bring documentation.
- Vision: distance acuity with and without correction, color vision (required for deck ratings), and field of vision.
- Hearing, blood pressure, height, weight and BMI, and a general physical examination by body system.
- The examiner’s statement of fitness, with any conditions noted for the National Maritime Center to evaluate.
The signed CG-719K is submitted with your application to the National Maritime Center — online, by e-mail or by mail — which issues the medical certificate. The CG-719K/E is the abbreviated report for entry-level ratings only; officer and STCW endorsements need the full CG-719K.
The CG-719P chemical test in the same visit
Original credentials and most renewals require a negative DOT drug test (five-panel, chain of custody) reported on the CG-719P, or proof of enrollment in a random testing program. Both clinics collect DOT drug tests on site, so the medical exam and the test happen in one stop.
Who comes in for a merchant mariner physical
- Yacht crew and captains working out of Fort Lauderdale, Port Everglades and the Dania Beach marinas.
- Deckhands, engineers and stewards on commercial vessels, ferries, dive boats and charter operations.
- Maritime academy and captain’s-license students who need the medical certificate before their credential.
- Renewals — bring your current credential and medical certificate expiry date.
What to bring
- The CG-719K (or CG-719K/E) printed from the National Maritime Center, with your sections completed.
- Photo ID, glasses or contacts, hearing aids, a list of medications, and any specialist letters for conditions the Coast Guard reviews.
- Your mariner reference number if you have one.
Walk in at either Broward clinic
Both clinics are open seven days a week — Davie at 5149 S University Drive (Renaissance Plaza, just south of Griffin Road) and Plantation at 10199 Cleary Boulevard, Suite 10. Both serve Davie, Plantation, Cooper City, Weston, Sunrise, Southwest Ranches, Pembroke Pines and the surrounding Broward County communities. Hours, maps and parking.
Insurance and self-pay
Most licensing and program physicals are self-pay and the price is quoted at the front desk before you are seen; employer-ordered exams are billed to the employer account. Bring a photo ID and the form.
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