Get trained
This page explains what training agencies, standards bodies and diving medicine bodies publish. It is not a substitute for training and certification from a recognised agency, and it does not replace medical advice.
How to read these figures
Every number on this page is a statement published by the named agency for the named course, with the date of the page where the agency gives one, or marked undated where the page carries no date (we read those pages in October 2026). None of them is a universal rule, and none is advice about how deep any reader should go. Each limit belongs to that agency's card. On why staying within training matters, see diving within your training.
Entry-level and advanced cards
| Agency and card | Published limit | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| PADI Scuba Diver | 12 m (40 ft), under the direct supervision of a PADI Professional | PADI blog, 27 February 2024 |
| PADI Open Water Diver | 18 m (60 ft) | PADI blog, 27 February 2024 |
| PADI Advanced Open Water Diver | 30 m (100 ft), listed for ages 15 and over | PADI blog, 27 February 2024 |
| SSI Scuba Diver | 12 m (40 ft), with an SSI Professional | SSI depth article, undated |
| SSI Open Water Diver | Maximum of 18 m (60 ft) within certification limits | SSI depth article, undated |
| NAUI Scuba Diver (Supervised Diver, ISO Level 1) | Open water diving limited to 12 m (40 ft), supervised by an active-status NAUI Instructor or Divemaster | NAUI course page, undated |
| BSAC Ocean Diver | Maximum of 20 m; open from age 12 | BSAC course page, undated |
| BSAC Advanced Ocean Diver | Dives to 30 m without decompression stops | BSAC course page, undated |
| SDI Advanced Adventure Diver | Deep dives to 30 m (100 ft) | SDI course page, undated |
| GUE Open Water Diver | 21 m (70 ft), diving with their own team without a dive professional's supervision | GUE course page, undated |
| CMAS One Star | Recommended maximum of 20 m | Wikipedia (secondary), undated |
SDI's own Open Water Scuba Diver page states no depth limit, and we found no other SDI page that does, so SDI's entry-level figure is not given here. NAUI's autonomous open water course appears only on Wikipedia in our research, not on a NAUI page, so it is left out too. RAID names its entry-level course Open Water 20, but the RAID page with its terms could not be opened, so its limit is not confirmed here.
Wikipedia (secondary) notes that some national CMAS federations set their own limits, citing the Irish Underwater Council as allowing a One Star diver 25 m or 30 m depending on who the buddy is. BSAC's equivalency page notes that grades it treats as equivalent may not carry the same autonomous depth qualification.
Deep diving specialities
| Agency and course | Published range or limit | Published minimum age |
|---|---|---|
| PADI Deep Diver | To 40 m (130 ft) | 15 (PADI blog, updated 16 August 2024) |
| SSI Deep Diving | 18 to 40 m (60 to 130 ft) | Not stated in the source we read |
| NAUI Deep Diver | No-stop dives between 18 and 40 m (60 to 130 ft) | 15 by the water phase on the NAUI page we read (re-read 21 October 2026); a search summary of the same page said 18 |
| SDI Deep Diver | Deeper than 18 m (60 ft) to a maximum of 40 m (130 ft) | 18, or 10 with parental consent (SDI course page, undated) |
The PADI range is from its blog updated 16 August 2024; the SSI, NAUI and SDI ranges are from undated pages. SSI's undated depth article calls 40 m (130 ft) the generally accepted maximum depth for recreational diving. Diving beyond the recreational range is taught as technical training; see specialty certifications.
Junior divers
Agencies set lower limits for younger divers, in age bands that differ from agency to agency.
| Agency and course | Age band | Published limit |
|---|---|---|
| PADI Junior Open Water Diver | 10 to 11 | 12 m (40 ft), with a PADI Professional or a certified parent or guardian |
| PADI Junior Open Water Diver | 12 to 14 | 18 m (60 ft), with a certified adult |
| PADI Junior Advanced Open Water Diver | 12 to 14 | 21 m (70 ft) |
| SSI Open Water Diver training | 10 and 11 | 12 m during training; under-15s certify as Junior Open Water Divers who dive with a dive professional or certified adult |
| SSI Advanced Adventurer training | 12 to 14 / 10 to 11 | 60 ft (70 ft on the deep dive) / 40 ft, within a 100 ft open water training maximum for the course |
| SDI Advanced Adventure Diver | 10 to 15 | 21 m (70 ft) on deep dives |
| CMAS | 8 to 14 | 5 m recommended, per Wikipedia (secondary), undated |
PADI figures come from its blog of 27 February 2024; SSI training figures from its archived standards (Open Water archived 14 October 2025; the Advanced Adventurer archive is undated); SDI from its undated course page. SDI juniors aged 10 to 14 dive under the direct supervision of a parent, guardian or active dive professional, according to SDI.
Where the published ages disagree
- PADI Open Water Diver. PADI's 2024 restrictions table lists 15 as the minimum age for Scuba Diver and Open Water Diver, while the junior bands in the same post start at 10, and other PADI pages give 10, with junior certification below 15. The table appears to list the adult, non-junior age.
- NAUI Scuba Diver. The undated NAUI page gives 15 by the water phase, with junior certification for ages 10 to 14, but also lists 10 elsewhere on the same page.
- SDI Open Water Scuba Diver. SDI's own undated page aims the adult course at people from about 15 and sends 10 to 14 year olds to the junior course. Wikipedia (secondary) gives 18, or 10 to 17 with written parental consent. A dive shop listing gives 18, or 15 with parental consent.
- GUE Open Water Diver. GUE's undated course page says 12. Its undated recreational curriculum page says GUE's limit is 14, citing a lack of scientific data on diving in younger children.
Professional levels
PADI's 2024 restrictions post says the depth limit for Rescue Divers and Divemasters depends on the diver's earlier certification, and that Divemasters may lead certified divers on guided dives and assist instructors.
Sources
- PADI blog, diving restrictions (Andrew Keaveny, 27 February 2024)
- PADI blog, Scuba Diver versus Open Water Diver (22 October 2018)
- PADI blog, Deep Diver versus Advanced Open Water (Cecily Russell, updated 16 August 2024)
- SSI, how deep can scuba divers go
- SSI, Open Water Diver (ISO 24801-2) standard, archived 14 October 2025
- SSI, Advanced Adventurer standard (archive)
- NAUI, Scuba Diver (Supervised Diver, ISO Level 1)
- NAUI, Deep Diver
- BSAC, Ocean Diver beginner course
- BSAC, equivalency
- Wikipedia, Autonomous diver (secondary)
- Wikipedia, CMAS* scuba diver (secondary)
- SDI, Open Water Scuba Diver course
- Dive shop listing, SDI Open Water Scuba Diver (operator statement, seen as search summary only)
- SDI, Junior Open Water Scuba Diver
- SDI, Advanced Adventure Diver
- SDI, Deep Diver
- GUE, Open Water Diver course
- GUE, recreational courses