MCA coding survey: what to expect on the day

A coding survey takes 2–6 hours depending on vessel size and operating category. Here's what a YDSA or MCA-recognised surveyor actually checks, what to have ready before they arrive, and how to keep the day to hours instead of weekends.

What "coding" actually means

Every UK small commercial vessel under 24 m operating commercially with paying passengers must hold a Code of Practice certificate (the "coding cert"), issued by an MCA-recognised certifying authority — typically YDSA, MECAL, IIMS or one of the smaller approved bodies. From 1 December 2025 this falls under the new MCA Sport & Pleasure Vessel Code 2025; before that, MGN 280. The coding cert lasts five years but is subject to annual renewal inspection.

The annual renewal inspection is what most operators call "the survey". It's where deficiencies get raised, equipment carriage gets checked, and the surveyor decides whether you can continue operating without restriction.

Before the day — what to have ready

The single biggest predictor of how long the survey takes is whether your paperwork is in order before the surveyor arrives. If they have to wait while you dig out the liferaft service certificate from a glove box, that's 30 minutes lost. If they can scan everything in two minutes, the rest of the day is on the vessel itself.

Documentation to have on file

• Current coding certificate (the one expiring)
• Stability declaration / stability book signed by a chartered naval architect
• Public Liability Insurance certificate (in force on the day)
• Life raft service certificate (within 12 months)
• Pyrotechnics pack expiry dates
• EPIRB battery service record + MCA registration
• Ship Radio Licence (Ofcom) and MMSI confirmation
• Skipper's ENG1 medical and professional ticket (Yachtmaster Commercial / Boatmaster / RYA equivalent)
• First Aid at Sea certificate (STCW-aligned)
• VHF SRC certificate
• Engine service log if applicable
• Vessel registration document (SSR / Part I)
• Previous year's deficiencies and how they were resolved

Vessel readiness

• Liferaft and pyrotechnics on board, in date, accessible
• VHF DSC radio powered and tested
• Bilge alarm tested
• Fire extinguishers serviced (check the date on the label)
• First aid kit aligned to current MCA spec
• Lifejackets serviced and crotch-strapped per spec
• EPIRB visible, accessible, registration current
• Charts and navigation aids appropriate to operating area

The day itself — what the surveyor does

Most surveyors work through a standard sequence. Knowing it helps you stay one step ahead.

1. Paperwork sweep (30–60 min)

The surveyor reviews every certificate, declaration, and service record. They take photos or copies of each. Anything missing or out of date gets noted on the day as a deficiency.

2. Hull and external inspection (45–90 min)

For an annual renewal where the vessel is in-water, this covers freeboard, exterior fittings, deck gear, navigation lights, and visible hull condition. For a 5-yearly out-of-water survey, the full hull below the waterline gets inspected and photographed. This is the longest part of the day.

3. Stability check (15–30 min)

The surveyor confirms the vessel matches the stability book — same engines, same tankage, no structural alterations. If the vessel has been modified since the last stability declaration, expect the surveyor to flag it.

4. Equipment carriage (45–60 min)

Every item on the equipment carriage table for your Category gets checked — physically present, in date, accessible. This is where most deficiencies are raised: out-of-date flares, lapsed liferaft service, missing SART, fire extinguisher service stickers.

5. Safety Management System review (15–30 min)

New under SPV Code 2025 for charter operations: the surveyor reviews your documented SMS. The 11 sections must all be addressed. Full breakdown of what's required is in our SPV Code 2025 explainer.

6. Crew documentation (15 min)

Skipper's ENG1 medical, professional ticket, and any other listed crew's qualifications. The surveyor confirms each ticket matches the manning declaration for the vessel's Category.

7. Sign-off + deficiency list (15–30 min)

The surveyor either issues a renewed coding cert on the spot, or — more commonly — issues an interim cert with a deficiency list and a deadline (typically 60 days) to clear them. Once deficiencies are cleared (photographs, receipts, replacement service certs sent to the surveyor), the full cert is issued.

If deficiencies are raised — what happens next

The vast majority of surveys raise at least one minor deficiency. Don't panic.

• Minor deficiency (e.g. liferaft service overdue by 1 month) — book the service, send the certificate to the surveyor within 60 days, full cert issued.
• Major deficiency (e.g. EPIRB not registered, missing piece of life-saving equipment) — operating restrictions may apply until cleared.
• Failed survey (rare) — usually means structural issues or out-of-date stability documentation. New stability survey or hull repairs required before re-inspection.

What surveyors hate (and how to avoid it)

Talking to surveyors who work the Antrim coast and the Irish Sea: three things consistently make survey day longer.

1. Disorganised paperwork. Certs in three folders, one on the boat, one in the office, one in the operator's inbox. Single source of truth saves an hour.
2. Trusting the sticker. The liferaft service sticker says "valid". The actual service certificate is at the service station. The SPV Code 2025 now requires the certificate on file, not just the sticker.
3. Last-minute equipment scrambles. Operators who order a new pyro pack on survey day. The surveyor leaves with a deficiency note instead of a clean pass.

Independent recordkeeping aid. Always consult your YDSA or MCA-recognised surveyor on specific survey questions for your vessel.