Does Dive Guide/SoD ever ‘expire’? Does it matter when you get certified?

[SepiaMarine]

Hi everyone,

I’m completing a Divemaster internship at a dive centre through SSI in Greece. I’ve completed all my courses now including Dive Guide and Science of Diving, except my dive centre hasn’t certified me for the last two yet. They are new to SSI here and have been confused about a few things to do with SSI and this is the latest thing. I’m hoping to get some clarity from you all here.

The manager of the dive centre said that maybe she should wait to certify me for Dive guide and SoD (and therefore Divemaster) because the SSI year rolls over in November and therefore if we were certified now we would have to re-pay in November of this year already. So maybe we should wait to November. Is that true? I am leaving in a week from here regardless, so it’s not like this would make me stay (and it’s extremely dead here by now anyway).

On top of this, I have said that I am not going to activate my pro status yet since I don’t intend to work this winter anyway. Besides, I need a doctors note first and I’ll be heading to my home country soon where I would complete all that anyway. I wouldn’t activate my pro status until November anyway. My instructor said that maybe if you complete your ‘DM’ (ie just get certified for the courses) in October instead of November, I may get one less year before I need to “renew” my DM or something.

As far as I can tell, and from speaking with another instructor here who knows more about SSI, it seems like there would be no reason NOT to certify me now (ie there is no benefit to anyone from waiting to certify).

If you have any thoughts on this, please share! Thank you so much.

SepiaMarine

 

[tstormdiver]

No. The SOD does not expire. It is a non- diving specialty, just like Nitrox & Equipment Techniques. Now, React Rite must he renewed every 2 yrs (US). Professional dive guide & all other professional levels must be renewed annually, however, with the exception of a professional who has been out of professional duties, or inactive (must go through an update process) or an occasional update for all levels of professionals. The professional is expected to keep up with standards & teaching changes, as they come along.

 

[SepiaMarine]

No. The SOD does not expire. It is a non- diving specialty, just like Nitrox & Equipment Techniques. Now, React Rite must he renewed every 2 yrs (US). Professional dive guide & all other professional levels must be renewed annually, however, with the exception of a professional who has been out of professional duties, or inactive (must go through an update process) or an occasional update for all levels of professionals. The professional is expected to keep up with standards & teaching changes, as they come along.

Thanks for your lightning fast reply!

So if I become certified as a Dive Guide but do not activate my pro status, do I still need to do something to “renew/update” my DG?

For example, I become certified as DG in Oct 2022, and do not activate my pro status and work as a dive guide until May 2024. Would I just activate my pro status normally, or would too much time have lapsed since my DG certification? And would being certified in November instead of October make any real difference (more than just one month later)? Thanks again.

 

[rick00001967]

i think what the op is trying to do is avoid paying the annual pro fee for 2022 because we are so close the the end of the year. is that right?

if i am correct then i would assume you could simply have your instructor hold off certifying you until your 2023 fees are due.

btw....unless things have changed, once you have your pro level dive guide and SOD, that qualifies you as a divemaster as long as you have the required number of dives / hrs in the water. it was 60 dives / 40 hrs.

 

[SepiaMarine]

i think what the op is trying to do is avoid paying the annual pro fee for 2022 because we are so close the the end of the year. is that right?

if i am correct then i would assume you could simply have your instructor hold off certifying you until your 2023 fees are due.

btw....unless things have changed, once you have your pro level dive guide and SOD, that qualifies you as a divemaster as long as you have the required number of dives / hrs in the water. it was 60 dives / 40 hrs.

Hi Rick, that’s correct (I’m trying to avoid fees I won’t use).

Also, however, I believe there is a difference between certification and pro status. Can I be certified now and then just activate my pro status whenever I want later, without any penalty or fee or reduced time-validity to my dive guide/master status?

I have over 100 dives and over 80 hours of diving with many night and deep dives and the requisites needed for Divemaster.

 

[rick00001967]

the dive guide level offers two certs. a non pro status and a pro status. you could have your non pro level certification processed and then upgrade to pro later i guess. but what would that accomplish? the SOD can be processed now just like any other specialty.

 

[dumpsterpurrs]

you could have your non pro level certification processed and then upgrade to pro later i guess. but what would that accomplish?

What would holding off processing the non-pro level cert accomplish? It should make no difference, no?

 

[rick00001967]

What would holding off processing the non-pro level cert accomplish? It should make no difference, no?

pls re read what i wrote. we both agree.

 

[SepiaMarine]

Thanks everyone. So it sounds like as I suspected. I can take the certifications for Dive Guide and SOD and then just activate my pro status once I need to, since there is no benefit to waiting for the initial certification from the courses.