What Is a Six-Pack License?

The cap traces to 46 U.S.C. 2101, which defines an uninspected passenger vessel as a vessel of less than 100 gross tons carrying not more than six passengers, including at least one passenger for hire. A "passenger for hire" is one for whom consideration is contributed as a condition of carriage. The moment a seventh paying passenger boards, the vessel is no longer uninspected under the statute and falls into the small passenger vessel category.

That reclassification is the part operators get wrong. Small passenger vessels under 100 gross tons carrying more than six passengers are regulated under 46 CFR Subchapter T and must hold a valid Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection (COI). A COI is not paperwork you buy after the fact. It requires the hull, machinery, stability, and lifesaving equipment to be built and inspected to federal standards, and the credentialed master must hold a Master license appropriate to the tonnage and route rather than an OUPV.

The word "uninspected" is a technical term. It means the Coast Guard does not formally inspect the vessel's design and equipment, not that the boat is unregulated or unsafe. Uninspected passenger vessels still carry mandated safety gear, and the operator still holds a federal credential earned through documented sea service, a physical, drug testing, and a written exam.

For charter guests, this is the single most useful compliance question you can ask. If a boat is advertising eight, ten, or twelve guests for a paid Miami charter, either it holds a COI and a properly licensed master, or the trip is being structured as a legitimate bareboat charter, or it is an illegal charter. Illegal charters are a standing Coast Guard enforcement priority and can be terminated on the water, which means your day ends at the dock. Ask to see the credential and, where applicable, the COI.