Frequently Asked Questions

Thanks for visiting padi.com. We invite you to review our list of frequently asked questions below. If you would like us to provide general information about PADI or padi.com, or if the list below doesn’t address your question you’ll find complete contact information at the bottom of this page.

General Questions
PADI Diving Society Questions
Technical Support for PADI.com
Technical Support for PADI Products
Jobs At PADI

General Questions

• I need to replace my certification card because it was lost or stolen.
  Contact your local PADI Dive Center or Resort directory or, for an additional fee, you may replace your card using our replacement card online form.
• I never received my card.
  Please contact the Customer Service Department with the following information close at hand: your full name, level of certification, date of birth, and certifying instructor information. If we do not have your record on file, we’ll need a copy of your temporary card (front and back), a photograph and the above information. Note: This service is free within one year of the certification date. After one year, the fee for a replacement card is $30US.
  
  FAX to: +1 949 267-1261
  Mail to: PADI ATTN: Customer Service
  30151 Tomas St.
  Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688-2125
  USA
• Can I get rush delivery on a new or replacement card?
  If you are newly certified – please submit your paperwork to PADI, write “Attention: Priority Processing” on the envelope and include $15US for priority processing. Cards will be sent out via regular mail. Express services are available, please see below:
  
  If you are requesting a replacement card – ask your PADI Dive Center or Resort to request priority processing, or select the priority processing option from the online replacement card menu. The priority processing fee is $15US. Your replacement card will be sent via regular mail unless you request express shipping. Express shipping options are as follows:
  
  Delivery within the United States
  FED EX: $16US
  FED EX Sat. Delivery: $29.75US
  Express Mail: $14.40US (delivery time 1-2 days)
  Priority Mail: $4.05US (average delivery time 2-3 days)
  
  Delivery outside the United States
  DHL $14.00US
• I’d like to order a replacement card online. What do I need to get started?
  To order a replacement card online, you will need a major credit card and a digital photo of your head and shoulders (no dark glasses, please) with a file size of 250 kb or smaller. We make every effort to mail your card with 48 hours of receiving your order.
  
  Replacement Card Online Order Form
  
  
• How can I get a Project AWARE version of my card?
  You help conserve underwater environments by choosing the Project AWARE option on your PIC (card application). You can also do the same thing with the replacement card online. Pick one of the Project AWARE versions of your PADI certification card or have a Project AWARE logo added to the back of your PADI card with a donation of $5.00US or more. A donation of $25.00US or more makes you a Patron and you will receive one year of the quarterly Patron enewsletter Our Blue World.
• I need to change my name on my certification card.
  Via FAX or post, please submit the following:
  Original name (first and last), current name (first and last), date of birth and legal documentation of name change. If you’re requesting a replacement card, there is a replacement card fee of $30US.
  
  FAX to: +1 949 267-1261
  Mail to: PADI
  ATTN: Customer Service
  30151 Tomas St. Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688-2125
  USA
  
• I need a letter saying that I am certified.
  PADI can provide you with a letter of certification via FAX or email. There is a $10US fee. Please contact our Customer Service Department to request this service.
  
• How much is the Master Scuba Diver Application?
  $41US
• How can I get college credit for my certification?
  Click on this link for complete information.
  PADI courses and college credit
• How much is the official ACE transcript?
  $30US for the first transcript and $10US for any additional transcripts.
• How long does it take to become a certified scuba diver?
  PADI courses are performance-based, which means that you earn your certification when you demonstrate that you've mastered the required skills and knowledge. Because some learn faster than others, course duration varies. Typically, the PADI Open Water Diver course is split into five or six sessions over as little as three days to as long as six weeks.
• How old do I have to be to become a certified diver?
  You must be at least ten years old (this may vary in some countries) to receive a Junior Open Water Diver certification. Ten and eleven-year-old Junior Open Water Divers must dive with a certified parent, guardian or PADI Professional and are eligible to dive to a maximum depth of 12 metres/40 feet. Twelve to fourteen-year-old must dive with a certified adult. At age fifteen, the diver may upgrade to a regular Open Water Diver certification without further training.
• Scuba diving sounds exciting, but I'm not sure if it's for me. Can I try it without signing up for a course?
  Absolutely. The PADI Discover Scuba Diving experience allows you to make a shallow scuba dive in a pool or shallow open water supervised by a PADI Professional.
• I'm a certified diver through another training organization. How can I become a PADI Diver?
  Start by visiting an authorized PADI Dive Center or Resort and present your certification card. After an assessment of dive skills and knowledge, a PADI Instructor will guide you to the appropriate course. Here are some general course prerequisites:

1. For the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course and most PADI Specialty courses – an entry level scuba certification and documentation of at least four open water scuba training dives as part of the certification course completed.
2. For the PADI Rescue Diver course - certification beyond entry level and documentation of at least 20 open water scuba dives that include experience in deep diving and navigation.
3. For the PADI Divemaster course - certification from a recognized training organization specific to scuba rescue and documentation of at least 20 logged open water scuba dives that include experience in deep diving and navigation. Additionally, you'll need a CPR and first aid certification within the past 24 months and need to be at least 18 years old.

• I'm a scuba instructor certified through another training organization. How can I become a PADI Instructor?
  Contact an authorized PADI Career Development Center, Five Star Instructor Development Center, Gold Palm IDC or PADI Course Director to determine where your instructor rating fits in the PADI System of diver education. You’ll complete initial training based on your current qualifications, followed by the PADI Instructor Examination (IE). The IE is a two-day evaluation of teaching ability, dive theory knowledge, water skill level, understanding of the PADI System, attitude and professionalism. Success at the IE qualifies you as a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor.
  
  To locate a PADI Career Development Center, Five Star Instructor Development Center or PADI Course Director near you, please visit our PADI Dive Center or Resort, or contact the PADI Training Department at: 800-729-7234 ext. 2540.

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PADI Diving Society

• What’s the difference between being PADI certified and being a PADI Diving Society member?
  Being PADI certified means you have successfully met the training and performance requirements for the particular certification. Your PADI Diver certification is good for life, though it’s highly recommended that you take a refresher course whenever you have not been diving for an extended period.
  
  The PADI Diving Society is an optional diver affinity group that you may join at any time. Society membership complements your diver training by providing a variety of members-only benefits including savings on dive-related purchases, member events and a subscription to a diver magazine (the specific one depends upon where you live).
• I have a PADI card. Does that mean I’m a PADI Diving Society Member?
  A PADI certification card includes your photograph and certification level. A PADI Diving Society card clearly states PADI Diving Society and does not have a photo.
• I’m a PADI Professional (Divemaster, Assistant Instructor, Instructor, or Course Director). Am I a PADI Diving Society member? Society membership is a benefit for all renewed PADI Professionals residing in the United States, US territories and Canada and serviced by the PADI Americas or PADI Canada offices.
• Who do I contact regarding questions about my magazine subscription, PADI Diving Society membership card, billing, renewal or membership kit?
  
  Contact: pdsmember@palmcoastd.com
  Learn More About the PADI Diving Society
  Join the PADI Diving Society  

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Technical Support for PADI.com

• I am having problems navigating the site.
  padi.com has been developed to comply with current WC3 specification for XHTML 1.0, JavaScript, etc. Browsers, such as IE 6.0, Firefox 1.5 and Netscape 8.0, that comply with these standard can view the site. Some browsers may have problems due to non compliance.
  
  We recomend using IE 6.0 or higher, Firefox 1.5 or higher, or Netscape 8.0 or higher. If you are using another browser and are having problems, feel free to contact us; however, if the browser your are using does not render or behave according to WC3 specifications then we recommend using one of the three browsers listed prior.
  
   Please check the for the latest version of browser.
• Internet Explorer 
• Netscape
• Firefox

• I cannot see the movies and/or animations
  The movies and animation on padi.com are rendered in Flash. Make sure you have the latest Flash plugin on your browser. To download the latest version of Flash plugin from Macromedia, visit www.macromedia.com
• The site is slow to load
  The site has been optimized to run with a high speed connection. If you are using the site on a dial-up connecitons, the site may run a little slow.
• I need to report an error on the website
  Send the error that you are recieving to the PADI Webmaster. To help us emulate the problem that you may be experiencing, please include th following information:

1. Web browser type and build (e.g Internet Explorer IE 6.0)
2. Operating System type and build (e.g. Microsoft XP Professional Edition)
3. Connection speed (dial-up, high speed, etc).
4. Are you browsing from a business or home.
5. Are you behind a proxy server, firewall, etc.

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Technical Support for PADI Products

Open Water Diver CD-ROM

• I can't get past login screen.
  This problem has two possible causes:
  
  Unsupported browser – the software is designed to work with Firefox, Internet Explorer 5.0 or later, Netscape 6.0 or later, and Safari (limited use).
  
  Windows Service Pack 2 installed – to correct this problem open Internet Explorer and proceed as follows:

• Select Internet options from the "tools" menu.
• Select the “advanced” tab and then scroll down to the security section.
• Check the two lines stating: 'Allow active content from CDs to run on My Computer' & 'Allow active content to run in files on My Computer.'
  
• I sign into the program and all it shows is the word 'true'.
  This is caused by an unresolved programming glitch. Please create a new user account and resume where you left off.
  
  
• The videos don't play.
  You may not have QuickTime installed. A quick way to find out if you have QuickTime, and/or to install the most current version, is to visit www.apple.com/trailers.
  
  Click on one of the trailers. If it plays, you have QuickTime installed. If the trailers will not play, please follow the instructions to download and install the QuickTime software.
  
  Once you have confirmed you have the QuickTime software, please confirm you have the Open Water Diver disc both installed and in your CD-ROM drive when attempting to access the videos.
  
  Still having problems? Please email us at: techsupport@padi.com
  
• The computer doesn’t remember my user name.
  Cookies need to be enabled for the user names to be remembered. By default, browsers allow cookies; however, the settings may have been changed on your computer. Use the "help" or "preferences" feature of your browser to allow cookies.
  
  
• I can’t view or I can’t print the knowledge reviews.
  Please check your applications folder to ensure you have Adobe Reader. To download Adobe Reader, please visit www.adobe.com.
  
  If you are using Adobe Reader 7.0, you may require a patch available here.

Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving CD-ROM version 1.4 1999 - 2005

• The videos don't play.
  You may need to install on older version of QuickTime – please visit here.
  
  I have a Mac and the CD doesn’t seem to work. Unfortunately, the 1.4 version of The Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving is only compatible with PCs.

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Jobs at PADI

• From time to time the various PADI global offices have job openings, and we are always looking for qualified applicants to fill those positions. To find out more details about job offerings, please visit PADI’s employment page.

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Contact PADI

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