Guidance

Online UK CoC/FSE/GMDSS checker

How to verify UK Certificates of Competency (CoC), Flag State Endorsements (FSE), GMDSS endorsements and other MCA-issued documents online.

• From: Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Published: 24 August 2015
• Last updated: 24 July 2026
  Show all updates

  1. 24 July 2026

     Our online document verification service has been extended to include other MCA-issued documents including GMDSS endorsements.

  2. 21 February 2022

     The alternative process for verifying a CoC has been added.

  3. 24 August 2015

     First published.

Online verification

Use the online document verification service to verify an MCA-issued certificate or endorsement.

If you are unable to verify a document online

Email: exams@mcga.gov.uk

You must provide:

• a full scan (all pages) of the certificate or endorsement
• the most recent version of the certificate or endorsement (we cannot verify superseded documents)

Please note we cannot provide verification to individuals.