SDI Advanced Diver Rating

Most advanced certifications are just courses with that word in the name. The SDI Advanced Diver is different. It's a rating, meaning it's awarded based on what you've actually done in the water, not what you sat through in a classroom.

To earn it, you complete four full SDI, TDI, or ERDI specialty courses and log a minimum of 25 dives. When both are done, you bring your logbook and your specialty certifications to us, we verify your records, and the SDI Advanced Diver credential is issued. It's built on accumulated experience, and that's exactly what makes it worth having.

What You Need to Earn the SDI Advanced Diver Rating

The requirements are straightforward. There are two of them and both are non-negotiable.

Four Complete Specialty Courses

You need to complete four full SDI, TDI, or ERDI Specialty Diver courses. These are complete certifications, not introductory dives. You choose the specialties based on where you want to take your diving, Deep, Navigation, Underwater Photography, Video, Drift, Boat, Intro to Tech, Search and Recovery, and many others from the SDI, TDI, and ERDI catalogs all qualify.

One important note on the rules: only one knowledge-only course (a course without dives) can be credited toward the four required specialties, and SDI Computer Nitrox is specifically excluded from that exception. For the full list of qualifying specialty courses and current standards, visit tdisdi.com.

25 Logged Dives

You need a minimum of 25 logged dives in your logbook. All training dives count, including dives from your Open Water certification, your Advanced Adventure course, and any specialty courses you've completed. If you've been diving actively, you may be closer to this number than you think.

How to Choose Your Four Specialties

The four specialties are yours to choose, which means the path to your Advanced Diver rating looks different for every diver. Some divers build toward technical diving with specialties like Intro to Tech and Deep. Others go toward photography, navigation, or search and recovery. There's no wrong answer as long as the four courses are complete certifications from the SDI, TDI, or ERDI catalog.

If you've already completed the SDI Advanced Adventure Diver course, each of those five specialty dives counts as one credit toward the corresponding full specialty. Finishing those specialties fully is one of the most efficient paths to the Advanced Diver rating.

Not sure which specialties make the most sense for where you want to dive? Call us at (480) 881-4013 and we'll help you build a plan.

What the Rating Opens Up

The SDI Advanced Diver rating is the prerequisite for the SDI Rescue Diver course. Rescue Diver is the course most divers point to as the one that changed how they think on every dive, not just in an emergency. You'll learn accident prevention, stress recognition, and hands-on rescue techniques that make you a stronger, more aware diver in any conditions.

Beyond Rescue Diver, the Advanced Diver rating signals something to dive operators, charter boats, and dive guides around the world: you've logged the dives, you've done the training, and you know what you're doing underwater.

Who Can Pursue the SDI Advanced Diver Rating

The SDI Advanced Diver rating is open to certified SDI Open Water Scuba Divers or equivalent certification holders. Minimum age is 10 with parental consent, 18 without.

Junior divers ages 10 to 15 can pursue the SDI Junior Advanced Diver rating using the same requirements, provided the four specialty courses they complete are approved for their age group. Your instructor will confirm eligible specialties at the time of enrollment.

Gear and Equipment

Students are required to own their own mask, fins, boots, and snorkel for this course. Dive gear rental such as BCD, regulator, computer, tanks, weights, and wetsuit is included in the course. If you'd like to purchase any of your own equipment, we carry a full selection in the shop and all students enrolled in a course receive a discount on purchases during enrollment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the SDI Advanced Diver rating?

The SDI Advanced Diver is a credential awarded to divers who have completed four full SDI, TDI, or ERDI specialty courses and logged a minimum of 25 dives. It is a rating based on accumulated experience, not a single course with a fixed schedule. For complete program standards, visit tdisdi.com.

What is the difference between SDI Advanced Adventure and SDI Advanced Diver?

The SDI Advanced Adventure Diver course is a single structured course covering five specialty dives as introductions to each specialty area. The SDI Advanced Diver is a rating earned by completing four full specialty certifications and logging 25 total dives. Advanced Adventure is a great first step, each of those five dives counts as one credit toward the corresponding full specialty certification, which can then count toward Advanced Diver.

How many dives do you need for the SDI Advanced Diver rating?

A minimum of 25 logged dives. All training dives count, including dives from your Open Water course, Advanced Adventure, and any specialty courses you've completed.

What specialty courses count toward SDI Advanced Diver?

Any four full SDI, TDI, or ERDI Specialty Diver courses qualify, with two exceptions: only one knowledge-only course (without dives) can be credited toward the four required specialties, and SDI Computer Nitrox is specifically excluded from that exception. For the complete list of qualifying specialties and current program standards, visit tdisdi.com.

Does the SDI Advanced Diver rating qualify me for Rescue Diver?

Yes. The SDI Advanced Diver rating is a prerequisite for enrolling in the SDI Rescue Diver course.

Can I use specialty dives from my Advanced Adventure course toward Advanced Diver?

Yes. Each specialty dive you completed in the SDI Advanced Adventure course counts as one credit toward the full certification for that specialty. Completing those specialties fully is one of the most efficient paths to the Advanced Diver rating.

Ready to Start Building Toward It?

If you're not sure which specialties to start with or want to map out the fastest path to your Advanced Diver rating, call us at (480) 881-4013 and we'll work through it with you. We're open Monday through Saturday 11am to 6pm and Sunday 11am to 5pm, at 18618 S 186th Way, Queen Creek, inside The Shooting Range. Stop by and we can pull up the SDI specialty catalog and build your plan in person.

For more information and to see course standards, click here!