- The ADCI exam is a single online test; the $275 fee covers both the exam and the certification card.
- You need 200 field days, 50 working dives, and 30 days as an Assistant Supervisor as an Air Diver before you qualify.
- Certification lasts five years, and applications/renewals run through Skill N Depth.
- Passing the exam never substitutes for the 625-hour training route or documented field experience.
What the Air Diving Supervisor Credential Actually Covers
The Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI) issues the official classification "Air Diving Supervisor," described in the standards as Surface-Supplied Air Diving Supervisor. This is not a generic supervisory badge - it is tied directly to surface-supplied air diving operations, the kind of work found on inland, harbor, and coastal commercial diving projects where surface-supplied air is the primary breathing gas.
If you're brand new to the term, start with What Is ADC-AIR-DIVING-SUPERVISOR? or ADC-AIR-DIVING-SUPERVISOR Meaning before using this cheat sheet - this page assumes you already know the basics and just need the concrete numbers reinforced.
The One-Page Fact Sheet
Keep this list next to your desk during final review. Every figure below comes straight from ADCI's published standards for the Air Diving Supervisor classification.
- Certifying body: Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI)
- Exam delivery: Online ADCI Air Diving Supervisor Certification Examination
- Fee: $275, inclusive of the exam and the physical certification card
- Field experience: At least 200 field days as an Air Diver
- Working dives: At least 50 working dives as an Air Diver
- Assistant supervisor time: At least 30 working days as an Assistant Supervisor
- Training route: 625 hours of formal instruction, or a recognized equivalent
- Validity: Five years from issue
- Renewals/applications: Processed through Skill N Depth
- Core reference document: International Consensus Standards, edition 6.5, 2025-1, section 3.4
Key Takeaway
Memorize the three experience thresholds as a set: 200 / 50 / 30. If you can recite "200 field days, 50 dives, 30 assistant-supervisor days" without hesitation, you've locked in the qualification backbone of this credential.
Eligibility at a Glance
Qualification for the Air Diving Supervisor classification is built in layers, not just a single test. ADCI expects a documented history of commercial-diver training and Air Diver competence before anyone is eligible to sit the exam. That means:
Documented Commercial Diving Foundation
Candidates must already hold qualified commercial-diver training credentials and be able to show Air Diver competence through employer records.
- Employer verification of dates and roles
- Written appointment records confirming supervisory or assistant-supervisor duty
- Current first aid/CPR certification
- Applicable medical-fitness provisions on file
Experience Thresholds
These are hard minimums, not suggestions, and all three must be met before an application is considered complete.
- 200 field days as an Air Diver
- 50 working dives as an Air Diver
- 30 working days as an Assistant Supervisor
For a full breakdown of every document and prerequisite you'll need to gather, see ADC-AIR-DIVING-SUPERVISOR Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify. It's worth reading that guide in full before you request an application - incomplete experience records are the most common reason applications stall.
Exam Format and Fee Mechanics
The exam itself is delivered online through ADCI's certification process. Unlike some diving credentials that separate testing fees from certification fees, the published $275 charge for the Air Diving Supervisor exam is a single, bundled cost - it covers both sitting the exam and receiving the certification card once you pass.
A detail candidates frequently overlook: passing the examination does not replace the training and experience requirements. You cannot test your way around the 200 field days, 50 dives, or 30 assistant-supervisor days. The exam confirms knowledge; the field record confirms competence, and ADCI requires both.
For the full cost picture - including what the fee does and doesn't include - read ADC-AIR-DIVING-SUPERVISOR Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown. And if you're trying to gauge how tough the written portion actually is relative to your existing field knowledge, How Hard Is the ADC-AIR-DIVING-SUPERVISOR Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 walks through what makes the question style challenging for first-time test-takers.
Core Standard: Section 3.4 Duties
The technical backbone of the exam and the job itself sits in the International Consensus Standards, edition 6.5, 2025-1, section 3.4. This section defines supervisor duties in concrete operational terms, and it's the closest thing to an official syllabus you'll find for this credential.
Dive Planning
Supervisors are expected to plan dives around depth, bottom time, gas supply, and site conditions before any diver enters the water.
- Matching dive plans to surface-supplied air limitations
Job Hazard Analysis
Identifying site-specific hazards - current, visibility, entanglement, vessel traffic - and documenting mitigation steps before work begins.
- Translating hazard analysis into crew briefings
Crew and Equipment Readiness
Confirming that both personnel and gear meet operational standards before a dive is authorized to proceed.
- Verifying standby diver readiness and equipment checks
Emergency Preparation
Having a rehearsed, resourced emergency plan specific to the dive site and the surface-supplied air configuration in use.
- Recompression and evacuation planning specifics
Records
Maintaining accurate logs of dive times, personnel, incidents, and equipment status as required by the standard.
- Documentation practices auditors and employers expect
For a deeper walkthrough of how these five duty areas map to exam content, see ADC-AIR-DIVING-SUPERVISOR Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 0 Content Areas. Understanding the reasoning behind each duty - not just memorizing the terms - is what separates a confident pass from a guessing-game attempt.
Nitrox Endorsement Note
One detail that trips up candidates who assume this credential covers everything: nitrox supervision requires a separate, applicable endorsement. The base Air Diving Supervisor classification is scoped to surface-supplied air. If your work will involve nitrox, plan for that additional endorsement process separately rather than assuming it's bundled into the standard exam and application.
Two-Week Review Plan Before Test Day
You don't need an elaborate study system for this exam - you need a short, focused review that maps directly onto section 3.4 and the documentation you'll submit alongside your application.
Documentation and Duty Review
- Confirm your field days, dive count, and assistant-supervisor days are documented and verifiable with your employer
- Read section 3.4 in full and outline each duty area in your own words
- Gather current first aid/CPR proof and medical-fitness paperwork
Applied Review and Final Checks
- Work through scenario-style questions covering dive planning, hazard analysis, and emergency preparation
- Review records-keeping expectations and typical logging errors
- Confirm your $275 fee payment method and application status through Skill N Depth
If you want a more detailed, day-by-day breakdown rather than this compressed version, the ADC-AIR-DIVING-SUPERVISOR Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt expands on each of these weeks with additional practice recommendations. Running a few timed practice sessions on our practice test platform before test day is also a fast way to spot which duty area still feels shaky.
Don't Mix This Up With IMCA or UK ADC
Because "ADC" and "diving supervisor" appear in multiple industry schemes, it's easy to accidentally study material from the wrong organization. This cheat sheet, and every fact on it, applies specifically to the ADCI Air Diving Supervisor classification - not IMCA's supervisor schemes and not the UK ADC's programs. Those bodies have their own fee structures, experience thresholds, and exam formats that do not transfer to this credential.
| Detail | ADCI Air Diving Supervisor |
|---|---|
| Certifying body | Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI) |
| Exam delivery | Online certification examination |
| Fee | $275 (exam + certification card) |
| Field days required | 200 as an Air Diver |
| Working dives required | 50 as an Air Diver |
| Assistant-supervisor days required | 30 |
| Core standard reference | International Consensus Standards, ed. 6.5, 2025-1, §3.4 |
| Validity period | Five years |
| Application/renewal portal | Skill N Depth |
Keep this table as your quick sanity check whenever you encounter a claim online that doesn't match what's listed here - if it references a different fee, different exam domain count, or a different renewal portal, it's likely describing a different credential entirely.
FAQ
No. Passing the online exam is one requirement among several. You still need the documented 200 field days, 50 working dives, and 30 assistant-supervisor days, plus employer verification and current first aid/CPR proof, before certification is issued.
The published $275 fee covers both the examination itself and the certification card issued upon passing - it is a single bundled cost, not separate exam and card fees.
Five years from the date of issue. Applications and renewals are both processed through Skill N Depth, so it's worth setting a reminder well before your five-year mark.
Not automatically. Nitrox supervision requires the applicable separate endorsement in addition to the base Air Diving Supervisor classification.
No. This is the ADCI Air Diving Supervisor classification specifically. IMCA and UK ADC run separate supervisor schemes with their own requirements, and their details should not be mixed into your ADCI preparation.