§7508. Authority to extend the duration of medical certificates

§7508. Authority to extend the duration of medical certificates

(a) Granting of Extensions.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may extend for not more than one year a medical certificate issued to an individual holding a license, merchant mariner's document, or certificate of registry issued under chapter 71 or 73 if the Secretary determines that the extension is required to enable the Coast Guard to eliminate a backlog in processing applications for medical certificates or is in response to a national emergency or natural disaster.

(b) Manner of Extension.—An extension under this section may be granted to an individual or a specifically identified group of individuals.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2021—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted "an individual or a specifically identified group of individuals" for "individual seamen or a specifically identified group of seamen".