Free tool · MLC 2006 · STCW
Free rest hours checker: test a week against the 10-hour and 77-hour rules
Enter one week of work periods and see the least rest in any 24 hours, the rest in the 7 days and any limit broken. It needs no account, and the sum runs on your own phone or computer.
Updated · Written by SeaReady in our own words. Not affiliated with OCIMF, RightShip, CDI, any MoU or any administration — always check the current official documents.
Enter one week of work
Type the hours you worked, not the hours you rested. An example watch is filled in. Nothing is saved or sent.
No breach found in these 7 days
- Least rest in any 24 hours (minimum 10 h)
- 16 h 00 m
- Rest in the 7 days (minimum 77 h)
- 112 h 00 m
Only the hours typed here are tested. A work period that ends earlier than it starts runs on past midnight.
SeaReady keeps a running record over months, including clock changes and the record for signing.
What the checker tests
| Rule | Limit | Named source |
|---|---|---|
| Rest in any 24 hours | At least 10 hours | MLC 2006 Standard A2.3 para 5(b); STCW Code A-VIII/1 para 2 |
| Rest in any 7 days | At least 77 hours | MLC 2006 Standard A2.3 para 5(b); STCW Code A-VIII/1 para 2 |
| Splitting the rest | No more than two periods, one of at least 6 hours | MLC 2006 Standard A2.3 para 6; STCW Code A-VIII/1 para 3 |
| Gap between rest periods | No more than 14 hours | MLC 2006 Standard A2.3 para 6; STCW Code A-VIII/1 para 3 |
Every 24-hour window that starts inside your week and ends inside it is tested, one minute apart. The split and 6-hour rules are judged on the 24 hours with the least rest ending on each day from day 2, the same way as in the SeaReady app.
A worked example
Work 0600 to 1800 on day 1 and 0200 to 1400 on day 2, with rest for the other five days. Each of those two calendar days shows 12 hours of rest. But the 24 hours from 0600 on day 1 hold only the rest from 1800 to 0200, which is 8 hours, so the 10-hour rule is broken. Type those periods in above to see it. The longer explanation is in our MLC and STCW hours of rest guide.
What it does not check
- Clock changes. Each day here is 24 hours long.
- The STCW exception, under which a flag State may allow 70 hours in 7 days (Code A-VIII/1 para 9).
- The other MLC option: a flag may set maximum hours of work instead, 14 hours in 24 and 72 hours in 7 days (Standard A2.3 para 5(a)).
- Emergency suspension by the Master, or the compensatory rest that follows it (MLC 2006 Standard A2.3 para 14; STCW Code A-VIII/1 para 8).
- Rolling 7-day windows that reach outside the 7 days you typed.
- Your flag State’s or collective agreement’s own stricter terms.
A clear result is arithmetic on the hours typed. It is not a record, and it does not replace the signed hours-of-rest record the ship must keep.
Sources and date
- ILO, Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, as amended: consolidated text (Standard A2.3 paras 5, 6 and 14). Checked 9 November 2026.
- IMO, STCW Convention and Code, as amended in 2010: IMO’s STCW page (Code section A-VIII/1 paras 2, 3, 8 and 9). IMO sells the Code text, so we read it in flag copies. Checked 30 October 2026.
Questions seafarers ask
Is this rest hours checker free?
Yes. It runs in your browser with no sign-in, and the hours you type are not sent anywhere or saved.
Why does it show a breach when every day has more than 10 hours of rest?
The rule covers any 24 hours, not each calendar day. Rest that looks fine from midnight to midnight can fall short across a night arrival, so the checker tests every 24-hour window that fits inside your week.
Does a pass mean my ship is compliant?
No. It means the hours you typed met these limits inside those 7 days. The signed record, your flag State rules and any collective agreement decide compliance.
What about the 7-day rule across two weeks?
One week gives one complete 7-day window, so that is the only one tested here. Windows reaching into the week before or after need a longer record.
Keep a full rest-hour record in SeaReady
The app keeps every day on record, checks each rolling 24-hour and 7-day window, handles clock changes and the STCW exception, and prints the record for signing.
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Related guides
- MLC and STCW hours of rest10 hours in any 24, 77 in any 7 days, the rolling-window trap and the STCW exception.
- PSC inspection checklistThe inspection start to finish, every deficiency area, risk windows and the CIC.
- Free PSC pre-arrival self-checkA free sample list to tick on a phone or print before you berth.
- Sea time & watchkeeping calculatorQualifying sea service, bridge/engine watchkeeping days and GT/kW thresholds for CoC upgrades.