Medical Certificate for Scuba Diving
Dive medical clearance from a UK GP, accepted by PADI, BSAC and dive operators worldwide.
Your dive centre or operator needs medical clearance before you enter the water. No appointment needed.
✔ Accepted by PADI, BSAC and international dive operators.
✔ Covers recreational and technical diving, holiday dives and courses.
✔ Most same day. All by 9AM next morning. From £89.
✔ Full refund if the GP cannot issue.
LET'S GET STARTED
Standard Service
£55 - Receive your medical certificate within 2-4 business days
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Express Service
£59 - Your request prioritized and certificate issued within 24hrs or sooner
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How It Works
Complete a short online questionnaire
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. No automated approvals.
✔ Full refund if the GP cannot issue.
Receive your certificate
Certificates arrive most same day, all by 9AM next morning, delivered as a signed PDF direct to your inbox.
What our patients say
Verified reviews from real MedicalCert patients
Jon
March 2025
Quick turnaround, hassle free
Good experience overall. Lots of details to provide but the interface was simple and easy to use. Turnaround time was very quick and hassle free.
K.H.
August 2025
Skydiving medical form sorted quickly
I was struggling to find where to get a 115B medical form signed for skydiving and Medical Cert were able to help quickly, at an affordable price and with great service.
Robert S.
June 2025
Same-day certificate, amended later for free
Fast, efficient service. I received my certificate the same day. When the event organisers later required specific wording I contacted MedicalCert and they updated it promptly at no extra charge.
Scuba Diving Medical Certificate — Fitness to Dive, Online GP Review
A scuba diving medical certificate is a signed document from a GMC-registered GP confirming that a recreational diver has no known medical contraindication to diving — required by dive schools, PADI centres, holiday dive operators, and overseas diving destinations before allowing participation in recreational scuba activities. Without GP sign-off, most dive operators will not allow a diver to enter the water, particularly where the diver has flagged a medical condition on the health questionnaire.MedicalCert provides online scuba diving medical certificates — a diving medical clearance service and medical certificate for recreational diving — following individual clinical review by a GMC-registered GP. No appointment needed — complete a detailed health questionnaire, upload relevant medical records or evidence, and receive a signed certificate same day or by 9AM next morning. Full refund if a certificate cannot be issued on clinical grounds.
What This Certificate Covers — and What It Does Not
MedicalCert issues recreational scuba diving fitness certificates following GP review of your health information. Understanding the scope prevents applying for the wrong document:✔ Suitable for
- ✔PADI medical certificate requirements cover SSI, NAUI, and other agency recreational dive courses — where the operator requires GP sign-off due to a flagged health condition on the pre-dive questionnaire
- ✔Holiday and resort dive operators requiring medical clearance before recreational dives
- ✔Divers with managed conditions (e.g. controlled hypertension, well-controlled asthma, treated diabetes) who need a GP to confirm fitness to dive recreationally
- ✔Overseas dive centres requiring a signed fitness to dive certificate as a condition of participation
- ✔BSAC members who need a fit to dive certificate after answering “yes” on the BSAC medical form self-declaration and need a GP supporting statement
⚠️ Not suitable for
- ✗HSE commercial diving medicals — these require an HSE-approved diving medical examiner and in-person examination; cannot be completed remotely
- ✗UKDMC Medical Referee sign-off for BSAC — where BSAC specifically requires a UKDMC-registered referee rather than a GP, a specialist referee is needed
- ✗Technical or saturation diving — these require specialist hyperbaric medicine physicians and cannot be assessed via online GP review
- ✗Divers with absolute contraindications to diving — where clinical review identifies a condition that cannot be safely reconciled with diving, the certificate will not be issued and a full refund will be given
Why Scuba Diving Requires Medical Clearance
Scuba diving places specific physiological demands on the body that do not apply to most surface sports. The underwater environment — changes in ambient pressure, breathing compressed gas, and exertion at depth — creates genuine clinical risks for divers with certain conditions. These are the primary reasons dive operators require a fitness to dive medical certificate:Lung and respiratory health
The lungs must be able to equalise pressure during ascent and descent. Conditions including untreated asthma, spontaneous pneumothorax history, COPD, and bullous lung disease carry increased risk of pulmonary barotrauma and may require GP assessment before diving is cleared.
Cardiovascular fitness
Scuba diving requires sustained cardiovascular exertion, particularly in currents or emergencies. Conditions including 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 — epilepsy, uncontrolled diabetes with hypoglycaemia risk, certain medications — presents a direct safety risk to the diver. These conditions are assessed individually; not all are absolute contraindications.
ENT and equalisation
The ability to equalise pressure in the middle ear and sinuses is a fundamental requirement. Chronic ear problems, perforated eardrums, severe sinusitis, and Eustachian tube dysfunction may affect diving suitability and require GP review.
Medications and prescription drugs
Many medications — including certain antihistamines, sedatives, antidepressants, and cardiovascular drugs — can have effects that are amplified under pressure or affect a diver’s capacity to respond to an emergency. PADI requires GP sign-off for divers on prescription medication in many cases.
Diabetes and metabolic conditions
Controlled diabetes is not an automatic bar to recreational diving, but requires careful clinical assessment. The risk of hypoglycaemia underwater, interaction with exertion, and depth limits are all considered. A GP fitness to dive letter is essential for diabetic divers at most dive centres.