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Start the tec pathway

Tec 40

Your first step into technical diving—built for divers who want to go beyond recreational limits with structured training.

If technical diving has been on your radar—but you’re not quite ready (or not yet qualified) for Tec 45 or Tec 50—PADI Tec 40 is the on-ramp.

Tec 40 is the first subdivision of the full PADI Tec Deep Diver course and consists of the first four dives. It’s designed to bridge the gap between recreational deep/nitrox diving and the mindset, planning, and skills you’ll need as dives become more complex.

If you’re the diver who likes clean setups, clear plans, and knowing exactly why you’re doing what you’re doing underwater, you’ll feel right at home here.

What Tec 40 is (and who it’s for)

Tec 40 is for divers who want to start training toward technical diving in a progressive way. It’s especially relevant if you’re interested in technical diving but haven’t yet met the prerequisites for the PADI Tec 45 or Tec 50 course.

You don’t need to have everything figured out before you start—what you do need is the motivation to train deliberately, build solid fundamentals, and take your diving seriously.

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How Tec 40 connects to Tec 45 and Tec 50

A common question we get is, “Where does Tec 40 fit in?”

Think of Tec 40 as the foundation. It’s the starting segment of the full Tec Deep pathway:

Tec 40: the first subdivision of the full PADI Tec Deep Diver course (first four dives)
Tec 45 / Tec 50: the next steps once you meet the prerequisites and you’re ready to continue progressing

If your end goal is Tec 45 or Tec 50, Tec 40 is the place to begin building that base in a structured, course-based way.

Check eligibility fast

Prerequisites

Tec training is skills- and experience-dependent, and prerequisites help make sure you’re set up for the course demands.

To enroll in PADI Tec 40, you’ll need:

PADI Advanced Open Water Diver or equivalent
PADI Enriched Air Diver or equivalent
PADI Deep Diver or equivalent
Have a minimum of 30 logged dives, of which at least 10 dives were made with enriched air nitrox deeper than 60 feet.

Not sure if your certifications or experience qualify as “equivalent,” or wondering how your logged dives line up with the requirement? Reach out—we’ll help you sort it out before you commit.

What you’ll do in the course

Because Tec 40 is the first segment of Tec Deep training, it’s where you start turning “good recreational diver habits” into “technical diver fundamentals.” You’ll be building comfort with more structured planning, more deliberate execution, and the discipline that technical diving demands.

Tec courses are training-heavy by nature. Expect to spend real time focused on skill development and diving with purpose—this is the opposite of “just follow the guide.”

If you’d like to talk through what training looks like for your specific goals (and what comes next after Tec 40), we’re happy to walk you through it.

Cost and scheduling

Pricing can vary based on how you want to train.

Ready to start Tec 40?

If you’re looking at Tec 40, you’re already thinking like a technical diver: you’re asking questions, checking requirements, and planning the next step.

Send us a message and tell us:

Your current certification level
Approximate number of logged dives (and nitrox dives deeper than 60 ft)
Your goals (Tec 45/50, wreck interest, personal progression, etc.)

We’ll help you confirm eligibility and map a smart path forward from here.