Ali Macleod
Technical Adviser – Diving
One of the industry’s longest running certification programmes, IMCA’s diving supervisor programme has been in place since 1987 and applies to personnel supervising dives in the water using air and bell diving techniques, with two types of certifications available depending on specialism.
IMCA diving supervisor certificates can be checked via our verification portal.
The IMCA diving supervisor certification programme requires candidates to:
Find out more about career structure, certification requirements, and examinations in IMCA Offshore Diving Supervisor and Life Support Technician Certification Schemes (IMCA D013).
Once certified, diving supervisors are required to undertake continuing professional development (CPD) to ensure their certification remains valid. IMCA’s Diving CPD programme has been developed to help make this as flexible and easy as possible.
We regularly host examinations around the world for our diving certification programmes.
We offer a modern and user-friendly approach. Working closely with our examination partner TestReach, all our exams are taken using the latest online tools and are hosted in specialist invigilation centres.
Prior to booking, candidates are asked to read our certification handbook (IMCA D013), which includes exam rules and tips for success. Book your place for an upcoming exam by clicking the entry above.
Available since 1987, IMCA’s Diving Supervisor certification enables you to demonstrate your skills, knowledge, and expertise. It provides companies with the confidence that they are working with highly qualified experts who have kept their professional knowledge current and up to date.
It refers to a person who has relevant experience and who has been formally appointed by their company. Both offshore air and bell diving are covered.
A Diving Supervisor who is qualified to take charge of an air operation only is not qualified to take charge of a bell operation. A bell diving supervisor may be qualified to take charge of both operations, depending on their previous experience and provided that their company is satisfied as to their competence.
Find out more about Diving roles and responsibilities in Offshore Diving Supervisor and Life Support Technician Certification Schemes - Minimum Requirements for Certification (IMCA D013).
Several IMCA approved third-party preparatory courses for the Diving Supervisor certification, Trainee Air Diving and Trainee Bell Diving Supervisors, are available.
These can be found in our online directory of approved training courses.
There are two certification examinations:
Air diving supervisors must pass the IMCA Air Diving Supervisor examination and bell diving supervisors must pass both the IMCA Air Diving Supervisor examination and the IMCA Bell Diving Supervisor examination (in that order).
Provided they have fulfilled all the other criteria, an air diving supervisor who has qualified under this scheme must pass the IMCA Bell Diving Supervisor examination in order to progress to bell diving supervisor.
Candidates for bell diving supervisor may be permitted to sit both examinations at the same time on the strict understanding that, should they fail either, they will not be awarded the qualification until the failed examination is passed successful.
Find out more in Offshore Diving Supervisor and Life Support Technician Certification Schemes - Minimum Requirements for Certification (IMCA D013).
Current fees for the certification programme are available here.
The IMCA Diving Supervisor Logbook can be used by all trainee supervisors, supervisors and superintendents and, if maintained correctly, will give full details of an individual’s experience as well as a brief daily work record.
The Logbook should be used to establish that required times have been spent at the relevant grades before promotion is considered. Time spent under training should be countersigned by the Diving Supervisor monitoring the candidate.
Once certified, Diving Supervisors are required to undertake CPD on a yearly basis to ensure certifications remain valid. The IMCA Diving CPD App has been developed to support you to do this.
Check above for the latest confirmed examination dates available. You can sit the Diving Supervisor exam at any of the centres around the globe.
Please note that booking can be postponed owing to a lack of numbers. We ask that you book your exam at least two weeks in advance of any date. Email us to book your place or contact us via the website.
Full details of IMCA’s diving certification programmes can be found in Offshore Diving Supervisor and Life Support Technician Certification Schemes - Minimum Requirements for Certification (IMCA D013).
It offers details on all areas of the certification programme including content, examination procedures, results, and certifications.
If you want to find out more about IMCA’s certification process more generally, please read our Certification Handbook.
You can also read the Diving Supervisor Terms and Conditions.
Of course. Please feel free to contact us with any questions not answered on our website or in our Guidance. Please note that owing to workloads, some queries can take a few days to answer.
