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Seafarer’s Identity Card

In the summer of 2026, the Norwegian Maritime Authority will introduce the Norwegian Seafarer’s Identity Card. The card will replace the Sea Service Book. The Seafarer’s Identity Card is an identity document for Norwegian citizens who are employed on board Norwegian or foreign vessels and mobile offshore units.

The Seafarer’s Identity Card will, like the Sea Service Book, serve as an identity document for Norwegian seafarers. The card may be used for identification purposes and to document that the holder is employed on board a vessel. This, among other things, facilitates shore leave and work‑related travel abroad.  

IMO Circular Letter No. 5219 – Issuance by Norway of Seafarer's Identity Document (SID)

Here you will find information about the Seafarer’s Identity Card and the Sea Service Book. 

  • Norwegian seafarers are entitled to apply for a Seafarer’s Identity Card, but there is no obligation to hold one. 

    Norwegian seafarers are allowed to sail and work on board vessels without a Norwegian Seafarer’s Identity Document. The Seafarer’s Identity Document serves as an official proof of identity for seafarers. A Norwegian passport is still the main ID-document for Norwegian seafarers, and a valid contract of employment is the main document to prove that a person works on board a vessel.

  • Norwegian seafarers may be issued a Seafarer’s Identity Card upon application.

  • You must apply for a Seafarer’s Identity Card using BankID via the Norwegian Maritime Authority’s online portal “My Page – Seafarers”. When applying for a Seafarer’s Identity Card, you must identify yourself using your most recently registered valid, machine‑readable passport or a Norwegian national ID card with the right to travel.

  • It is recommended that the Seafarer’s Identity Card is always carried when working on vessels operating abroad and when travelling abroad for work. The card may then be presented in the event of inspections, for example during port State control. 

  • The Seafarer’s Identity Card is valid for five years from the date of issue.

  • The fee for a Seafarer’s Identity Card in 2026 is NOK 700, and NOK 350 for a duplicate. The Seafarer’s Identity Card will not be issued until payment has been completed. A receipt can be downloaded after payment. 

    The fee is laid down in the Regulations on fees for the issue of certificates and endorsements to maritime personnel and boating licences to masters, etc. 

  • You must report the loss or theft immediately to the Norwegian Maritime Authority via “My Page – Seafarers”.  
    The card will then be registered as invalid and considered lost. It must not be used again if found, and it will no longer be available electronically. 
    Once the loss has been registered, you may apply for a duplicate Seafarer’s Identity Card or a new Seafarer’s Identity Card via “My Page – Seafarers”. 

    If you lose your Sea Service Book, you must apply for a Seafarer’s Identity Card. Duplicates of Sea Service Books are not issued. 

  • The Sea Service Book is an approved identity document confirming that the holder is employed on board a vessel, and it also serves as a document for the registration of seagoing service.

  •   The Sea Service Book may be used for as long as it remains valid.   
    You may apply for a Seafarer’s Identity Card via “My Page – Seafarers” if there are less than six months remaining until the expiry date of your Sea Service Book.