PADI Rescue Diver Knowledge Development

Minimum age: 12

Rescue Divers certified between the ages of 12-14 earn a Junior Rescue Diver certification. Any replacement certification card or eCard purchased after the diver's 15th birthday will automatically show a Rescue Diver (not Jr. Rescue Diver) certification.

Course prerequisites: any diver with an Open Water (or Jr. Open Water) Diver certification may enroll in a PADI Rescue Diver course, complete Rescue Diver eLearning and participate in Rescue Exercises in confined water.

To participate in open water Rescue Exercises and be certified as a PADI Rescue Diver, the student must complete the Underwater Navigation Adventure Dive and hold a PADI (Junior) Adventure Diver certification. A PADI (or other qualifying) Advanced Open Water Diver certification also meets this prerequisite.

Certification also requires CPR and first aid training within the past 24 months. If you don't have this training, you can enroll in an Emergency First Response® (EFR) Primary Care (CPR) and Secondary Care (First Aid) course with your PADI Instructor.

This course requires both knowledge development and inwater training for certification. When you purchase a PADI eLearning course from our website, the cost covers the knowledge development portion only.

There is an additional cost to complete your certification with a PADI Instructor. The cost depends on class size, environment, and whether or not you need to rent equipment.  Contact Dakota Scuba for more information and pricing.

If you haven't invested in a set of personal scuba gear yet, consider doing so before starting the Rescue Diver course. You'll spend a lot of time taking your equipment on and off and learning self-rescue techniques. Having gear you're familiar with and comfortable using is beneficial during this course.