What are the prerequisites for the PADI Divemaster Course?

PADI Advanced Open Water Diver and PADI Rescue Diver certifications (or qualifying equivalents from another agency), 18 years of age or older, medical clearance signed by a physician within the last 12 months, 40 logged dives, and a current Emergency First Response Primary and Secondary Care certification within the last 24 months.

Do I need 40 logged dives before I can start the Divemaster course?

To complete certification, yes — PADI requires 40 logged dives. To begin the internship, no. At Go Pro Caribbean, candidates with fewer than 40 dives start diving on arrival at no extra cost, building their logbook before formal Divemaster training begins.

How old do I need to be to become a PADI Divemaster?

18 years of age or older — no exceptions. PADI requires every Divemaster candidate to be 18+ at the point of certification. If you turn 18 during your stay, you can complete prerequisite courses up to that date and start formal Divemaster training on your birthday.

What is a PADI Divemaster authorised to do?

An active-status PADI Divemaster can supervise certified divers, assist a PADI Instructor during training, guide Open Water students on the tour portion of dives 2 to 4, conduct the ReActivate refresher programme, lead Discover Local Diving and Discover Snorkeling, and teach Skin Diver courses independently. The full list runs to fourteen separate authorisations, set out in the duties section above.

Do I need a medical certificate to start the Divemaster course?

Yes. PADI requires a medical clearance signed by a physician within the previous 12 months before any Divemaster training begins. If you don't have one on arrival, a recommended physician five minutes' walk from our shop in West End can complete the assessment in around thirty minutes.

What is the difference between a PADI Divemaster and a PADI Instructor?

A Divemaster is the first professional-level PADI certification — authorised to assist an instructor and supervise certified divers. A PADI Instructor is the next step up — authorised to teach courses and certify divers independently. Most Go Pro Caribbean Divemasters continue with the Instructor Development Course at the end of their internship.

How long does it take to complete the PADI Divemaster course?

At Go Pro Caribbean the internship runs a minimum of six weeks, with no upper limit. Candidates who want eight, ten, or twelve weeks are welcome. Diving is unlimited throughout — the average trainee logs between 60 and 100 dives before certification.

Divemaster Pre-Requisites and Duties

This page is the quick reference for what you need before starting a Divemaster course, and what you'll be authorised to do once you've completed it. Both lists come straight from PADI's Instructor Manual — the same standards every dive centre and course director must follow, regardless of where in the world you train.

The prerequisites tell you what to arrange before arrival. The authorisations tell you what your PADI Divemaster card lets you actually do at a dive centre. We've added a few practical notes alongside each — what we cover for you, what we don't, and what's worth knowing before you book.

Divemaster Pre-Requisites and Duties

Five prerequisites. Fourteen authorisations. One PADI standard.