Medical Certificate for Scuba Diving
Dive medical clearance from a UK GP, for the medical forms dive centres and operators ask for.
Your dive centre or operator needs medical clearance before you enter the water. No appointment needed.
✔ Covers recreational diving, holiday dives and courses.
✔ Most same day or by 9AM next morning. From £89.
✔ Full refund if the GP cannot issue.
LET'S GET STARTED 
Accepted by most UK employers, universities and insurers, subject to their own policies. All consultations are subject to clinical assessment and certificates are issued only where clinically appropriate.
Standard Service
£89 - Reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor. Most certificates are issued the same day, or by 9AM the next morning.
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Express Service
£89 - Reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor. Most certificates are issued the same day, or by 9AM the next morning.
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How It Works
Complete short online consult
No appointment required.
Complete a short medical questionnaire and upload any supporting evidence.
Doctor reviews your evidence
A GMC-registered doctor reviews your submission individually.
✔ Full refund if a certificate cannot be issued.
Receive your certificate
Most certificates are issued same day, almost all by 9AM the next morning. Delivered as a signed PDF. A doctor will email you if more evidence is needed.
Certificate security
Every MedicalCert certificate can be checked as genuine
Each certificate is issued with anti-tampering protection and its own verification reference. If your employer, university, airline or insurer wants to confirm the document came from a GMC-registered doctor, they can check it against MedicalCert records. Altered or copied documents do not pass that check.
Very happy, I ordered my Medical Certificate in the early morning hours and before noon time of same day I had it on my inbox. Speedy service and they present the health condition precisely, get to the point.
They meet the incredibly fast turnaround stated (certificate/letter sent before 9am the following morning if the doctor feels that a letter/certificate is appropriate) which is incredibly quick and I am really grateful for the help provided!
Very easy and quick to get my certificate. And the certificate was approved from the specific company to travel with my dog. I will use them again. Well done.
Second time using this company and they are fabulous! Always great, fast, friendly service. Highly recommend!
This was my second time using Medical Cert, and once again the service was exceptionally quick and professional. Everything was handled efficiently, with clear communication throughout.
I found the service very straight forward and quick. Exactly what I needed to get my Padi medical form signed before our holiday. Thank you very much.
Process was easy and responses were quick. I would recommend their service.
Fast efficient service for medical certificates. I used the not fit to fly service and was provided with a certificate the next day, the price is very reasonable and enabled a flight credit refund with my airline. Would recommend and would use again if needed.
A fast and efficient service. It wasn't complicated and the Fit-to-fly note was accepted by the Airport without any further questions. Thank you.
Ideal for me, I am looking to get a certificate for some medical issues I have. So this is the perfect solution for me, uploading docs was easy and the forms very straightforward to fill in. Will definitely use them again. Many thanks.
Excellent service. Easy to use and certificate issued in less than 24 hours. £39 as opposed to the £150 my GP charges. Highly recommended.
Quick and reasonably pain-free. Received their standard certificate as well as my requested bespoke certificate, by email, by 9am the following morning. Both completed properly, signed and stamped as required. More expensive than my GP, but infinitely quicker and easier.
One of the best experiences. It's easy to get a GP note.
Excellent. My GP refuses to issue DWP MED 3 Fit Notes to students. MedicalCert were excellent and extremely helpful in providing a necessary certificate. Highly recommended.
You were amazing, you kept me updated and replied promptly to any queries I had. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
They helped me, they were very professional and nice.
Very pleased. Quick service with very professional letter provided.
Great service, pretty straight forward and easy to use the website.
I was recommended Medical Cert by a friend and was so impressed with the service received. I would recommend using a laptop rather than a phone. Overall a fantastic and fast service.
Scuba Diving Medical Certificate Online: GP Letter for Fitness to Dive
Dive schools, training centres, holiday dive operators and overseas dive destinations require a medical questionnaire before recreational diving. On the Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire used by PADI and the other RSTC training agencies, answering no to all ten questions on page one means no medical evaluation is required. Certain yes answers mean you must take all three pages to a physician for evaluation, and any registered physician may complete it. UK club diving works differently: BSAC, the SAA and the SSAC use the UKDMC Recreational Diving Medical Declaration, where any yes answer must go to a UKDMC Medical Referee.
MedicalCert covers the physician evaluation and GP letter route. Complete a detailed health questionnaire, upload relevant medical records or evidence, and receive your signed diving medical clearance same day or by 9AM next morning, following individual clinical review by a GMC-registered doctor. MedicalCert cannot issue a UKDMC Medical Referee endorsement or an HSE diving medical. Full refund if a certificate cannot be issued on clinical grounds.
Most approved certificates issued same day | Full refund if we cannot issue | GMC-registered doctors
Which Type of Diving Medical Do You Need?
There are three distinct types of diving medical assessment in the UK and they are not interchangeable. Which one you need depends on whether you are diving recreationally or at work, and on which medical form your training agency or club uses.
| Assessment type | Who it covers | Who conducts it | Can MedicalCert help? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician evaluation or GP fitness to dive letter | Recreational divers whose Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire triggers a physician evaluation, and divers whose operator or overseas dive centre asks for a GP letter | Any registered physician. In the UK, a GMC-registered GP following clinical review of health history | ✔ Yes, online, same day |
| UKDMC Medical Referee assessment | BSAC, SAA and SSAC members who answer yes to any question on the UKDMC Recreational Diving Medical Declaration | A UKDMC Medical Referee. Only a UKDMC Referee can endorse a UKDMC fitness to dive certificate | ✗ No, contact the UK Diving Medical Committee for a referee list |
| HSE diving at work medical | Anyone diving at work under the Diving at Work Regulations 1997, including recreational diving instructors and divemasters | An HSE Approved Medical Examiner of Divers (AMED), in-person examination required | ✗ No, cannot be completed remotely; contact an HSE Approved Medical Examiner of Divers directly |
What This Online Diving Medical Clearance Covers
MedicalCert issues recreational scuba diving fitness certificates and GP letters following clinical review of your health information. Understanding the scope prevents applying for the wrong document.
✔ Suitable for
- ✔ PADI and other RSTC agency courses where the Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire triggers a physician evaluation
- ✔ Dive centre forms that ask for a doctor's signature rather than a UKDMC Medical Referee endorsement
- ✔ Holiday and resort dive operators requiring medical clearance before recreational dives
- ✔ Divers with managed conditions (for example, controlled hypertension, well-controlled asthma, treated diabetes) who need a physician to confirm fitness to dive recreationally on an RSTC style form
- ✔ Overseas dive centres requiring a signed fitness to dive certificate or GP letter as a condition of participation
⚠️ Not suitable for
- ✗ Any diving at work under the Diving at Work Regulations 1997, including recreational instructors and divemasters, and all saturation diving. These need an HSE Approved Medical Examiner of Divers and an in-person examination, and cannot be completed remotely.
- ✗ UK club diving with BSAC, the SAA or the SSAC. Any yes answer on the UKDMC Recreational Diving Medical Declaration must go to a UKDMC Medical Referee, and only a UKDMC Referee can endorse a UKDMC fitness to dive certificate.
- ✗ Technical diving, where your training agency sets its own assessment requirements beyond a standard physician evaluation
- ✗ Divers with absolute contraindications to diving. Where clinical review identifies a condition that cannot be safely reconciled with recreational diving, the certificate will not be issued and a full refund will be given.
UK Diving Clubs: Why You Need a UKDMC Medical Referee, Not a GP Letter
BSAC, the SAA and the SSAC all require members to complete the UKDMC Recreational Diving Medical Declaration (revised May 2024) on joining and then annually on renewal. If you answer no to every question on page one, you sign the declaration and no doctor is involved. If you answer yes to any question, the form is explicit: you must seek advice from a UKDMC Medical Referee. There is no GP tier in that system, and MedicalCert cannot substitute for a Referee.
✔ Where MedicalCert can help
MedicalCert covers the RSTC style physician evaluation used by PADI and the other training agencies, dive centre forms that ask for a doctor's signature, and overseas operators that ask for a GP letter. If you are diving on holiday, on a training course, or with an operator outside the UK club system, this is the document you need.
⚠️ UKDMC Medical Referee needed
Any yes answer on the UKDMC Recreational Diving Medical Declaration must go to a UKDMC Medical Referee. Many enquiries are resolved by telephone or email without an examination. Only a UKDMC Referee can endorse a UKDMC fitness to dive certificate, so a GP letter will not be accepted in its place. The referee list is published at ukdmc.org.
Why Scuba Diving Requires Medical Clearance
Scuba diving places specific physiological demands on the body that do not apply to surface sports. Changes in ambient pressure, breathing compressed gas, and exertion at depth create genuine clinical risks for divers with certain conditions. These are the primary reasons dive operators require a fitness to dive certificate or GP letter before granting clearance.
Lung and respiratory health
The lungs must equalise pressure during ascent and descent. Untreated asthma, spontaneous pneumothorax history, COPD, and bullous lung disease carry increased risk of pulmonary barotrauma and require GP assessment before diving clearance.
Cardiovascular fitness
Scuba diving demands sustained cardiovascular exertion, particularly in currents or emergencies. Uncontrolled hypertension, recent cardiac events, arrhythmias, and significant heart disease require clinical assessment. Well-controlled conditions may still be compatible with recreational diving.
Neurological and consciousness risk
Any condition that could cause sudden loss of consciousness underwater, including epilepsy, uncontrolled diabetes with hypoglycaemia risk, or certain medications, presents a direct safety risk. These conditions are assessed individually and are not all absolute contraindications.
ENT and equalisation
The ability to equalise pressure in the middle ear and sinuses is a fundamental diving requirement. Chronic ear problems, perforated eardrums, severe sinusitis, and Eustachian tube dysfunction may affect suitability and require GP review before clearance is issued.
Medications and prescription drugs
Certain antihistamines, sedatives, antidepressants, and cardiovascular drugs can have effects amplified under pressure or affect a diver's emergency response capacity. On the Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire, question 10 asks whether you take prescription medication, excluding birth control, menopausal HRT and antimalarials other than mefloquine, and a yes answer requires a physician evaluation. The UKDMC declaration is stricter: question 17 covers any prescribed medication other than the contraceptive pill or HRT, and a yes answer must go to a UKDMC Medical Referee.
Diabetes and metabolic conditions
Controlled diabetes is not an automatic bar to recreational diving, but it always requires individual clinical assessment covering hypoglycaemia risk, medication type, exertion and depth. Under UKDMC rules every diver with diabetes needs a medical and must complete UKDMC Diabetes forms A and B annually through a Medical Referee. A GP letter does not meet that requirement.
What Your Scuba Diving Medical Certificate Includes
How to Get Your Scuba Diving Medical Certificate Online
Same day delivery | GMC-registered doctors | Full refund if we cannot issue
Scuba Diving Medical Certificate: Frequently Asked Questions
Guidance and Standards Referenced
The clinical assessment approach used by MedicalCert GPs for recreational diving fitness is informed by the following recognised UK and international sources:
📚 Referenced sources
- 📋 UK Diving Medical Committee (UKDMC). Publishes the Recreational Diving Medical Declaration (revised May 2024) used by BSAC, the SAA and the SSAC, and maintains the national network of Medical Referees. Any yes answer on that declaration must go to a Referee. ukdmc.org
- 📋 Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire. Product 10346, version date 2026-01-01, created by the Diver Medical Screening Committee with the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, DAN and DAN Europe, and used by PADI and the other RSTC training agencies. Certain yes answers require a physician evaluation, which any registered physician may sign. uhms.org
- 📋 Divers Alert Network (DAN). An internationally recognised authority on diving medicine, including guidance on diabetes, asthma and cardiovascular conditions in recreational divers. diversalertnetwork.org
- 📋 Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Diving at Work Regulations 1997. These regulations apply wherever at least one person on a dive is at work, including recreational instruction and guiding, which HSE covers in Approved Code of Practice L105. Divers at work need a certificate of medical fitness to dive from an HSE Approved Medical Examiner of Divers. Divers diving purely for recreation and not at work are outside that requirement. hse.gov.uk/diving
- 📋 General Medical Council (GMC). Registers and regulates all doctors practising in the UK. All MedicalCert reviewing GPs hold active GMC registration. gmc-uk.org
