PADI Scuba Certification Requirements & Prerequisites
A transparent, comprehensive breakdown of age minimums, swim evaluations, medical health statements, and gear prerequisites before beginning scuba training.
1. Age Requirements
- Minimum Age: 10 years old.
- Junior Open Water (Ages 10–11): Maximum depth 40 feet (12 m). Must dive with a PADI Professional or certified parent/guardian.
- Junior Open Water (Ages 12–14): Maximum depth 60 feet (18 m). Must dive with any certified adult.
- Adult Open Water (Ages 15+): Standard international PADI certification (60 ft depth). Automatically upgrades at age 15.
2. Watermanship & Swim Evaluation
Scuba diving requires basic water comfort. You do not need to be a competitive swimmer, but PADI safety standards require every student diver to complete two evaluations in the pool:
200m Surface Swim
Continuous swim of 200 meters (approx. 8 laps in a 25m pool) using any stroke without stopping. (Or 300 meters using mask, fins, and snorkel). No time limit.
10-Minute Water Tread / Float
Float, tread water, or survival drown-proof in deep water for 10 continuous minutes without using any flotation devices.
3. Medical Clearance & Health Questionnaire
All student divers must complete the standard Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire (developed by the Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society and PADI) prior to in-water training.
If you answer “NO” to all medical questions, no physician signature is required.
If you answer “YES” to any medical condition (such as asthma, cardiac issues, epilepsy, high blood pressure, diabetes, ear surgeries, or certain medications), you must take the medical form to a licensed physician (MD/DO) who must sign and approve you for diving prior to pool sessions.
4. Equipment Requirements
All life-support equipment (tanks, regulators, gauges, BCD, weights) is provided during training. Each student diver is required to have their own personal snorkeling gear: a properly fitted scuba mask, snorkel, open-heel fins, and neoprene booties.