PADI Instructor Development Course in Houston
Complete your PADI IDC at Sugar Land Dive Center and become a PADI Scuba Instructor in the Greater Houston area. Train directly with full-time PADI Platinum-honored Course Director Phillip Hetherington through a scheduled IDC or IDC on Demand.
Availability: In Stock
Become a PADI Scuba Instructor in Houston
IDC At a Glance
Format: 8-day Scheduled IDC or IDC on Demand
Location: Sugar Land, Texas — serving the Greater Houston area
Price: $2,600 — Deposit: $500, with balance due at the start of your program
Instant Start: Your deposit unlocks your PADI Digital IDC Crewpac and IDC eLearning
Course Director: Phillip Hetherington, PADI Platinum-honored Course Director and owner of Sugar Land Dive Center
Aligned to IE: Training is scheduled to prepare you for a PADI Instructor Examination
Next Scheduled IDC Starts: Saturday, July 11, 2026
Questions? Talk to Phillip
Train Directly With a Full-Time PADI Platinum-Honored Course Director
Sugar Land Dive Center is owned and operated by PADI Platinum-honored Course Director Phillip Hetherington. As an IDC candidate, you receive direct access to Phillip throughout your Instructor Development Course, from your initial planning and IDC preparation through your in-person training and preparation for the PADI Instructor Exam.
This is one of the biggest advantages of completing your IDC with Sugar Land Dive Center. You are training directly with the owner of the dive center and a full-time PADI Platinum-honored Course Director who is personally involved in your development before, during, and after the IDC.
Become a PADI Instructor Without Leaving the Houston Area
Many Houston-area Divemasters believe they must travel several hours to complete a PADI Instructor Development Course. At Sugar Land Dive Center, you can complete your IDC locally in the Greater Houston area while training directly with an experienced PADI Course Director.
Training locally can help you avoid extra hotel costs, meals, travel expenses, and time away from work or family. Our IDC is easily accessible to divers from Houston, Sugar Land, Katy, Pearland, Galveston, Missouri City, Richmond, Rosenberg, The Woodlands, Clear Lake, and surrounding communities.
Ready to become a PADI Scuba Instructor? Sugar Land Dive Center offers scheduled IDC programs and IDC on Demand options designed to help you move from Divemaster to confident PADI Instructor with professional support every step of the way.
Our Instructor Development Course goes beyond the minimum requirements, featuring hands-on workshops, advanced control techniques, realistic teaching practice, and a strong focus on building confidence. Our goal is to prepare you not only to pass the PADI Instructor Examination, but to begin teaching as a capable, professional, and confident PADI Instructor.
Whether you are looking for the structure of a scheduled IDC or the flexibility of IDC on Demand, Sugar Land Dive Center offers a clear path to becoming a PADI Instructor in the Greater Houston area.
Scheduled IDC — Structured, Streamlined, Successful
Our 8-day scheduled IDC is designed for candidates who prefer a clear timeline and a focused training schedule. Each scheduled IDC is aligned with a PADI Instructor Examination, helping you complete your training and move directly into the IE while the information, workshops, and presentation practice are fresh.
Our next scheduled IDC begins on Saturday, July 11, 2026. The PADI IE will be held on the weekend of July 25/26 in Nacogdoches, Texas.
IDC on Demand — Start When You're Ready
For candidates who prefer flexibility, IDC on Demand allows you to begin your instructor training when you are ready. Once we receive your deposit, we can issue your PADI Digital IDC Crewpac and help you begin the eLearning portion of your IDC immediately.
We will then work with you to schedule your in-person training and align your IDC with the next appropriate PADI Instructor Examination. This is ideal for busy professionals, working Divemasters, college students, and candidates who want to move forward without waiting for the next scheduled IDC date.
Instructor Development Course Options and Costs
At Sugar Land Dive Center, we believe in transparency. Our IDC pricing structure shows you exactly what is included in your course package and what PADI fees are due at the time of your Instructor Examination.
Upon signing up, we require a $500 deposit. Once your deposit is received, we will confirm which PADI PRO IDC Package you wish to enroll in and send your PADI Digital IDC Crewpac, which includes your IDC eLearning. This allows you to begin the online portion of your IDC immediately. The balance of your IDC fee is due at the start of your program.
All PADI PRO IDC options are available as either IDC on Demand or as part of a scheduled IDC program.
PADI PRO Silver
Our PADI PRO Silver IDC is our standard IDC course, designed for individuals who already hold an active EFR Instructor or a CPR/First Aid Instructor rating issued by another agency.
Includes your Enriched Air Nitrox Specialty Instructor Course
Course Fee: $2,600.00
PADI Fees Due at IE: $1,060.00
Total IDC Investment: $3,660.00
PADI PRO Gold
Our PADI PRO Gold IDC includes everything in our PADI PRO Silver IDC and adds your Emergency First Response Instructor (EFRI) course to your program.
Course Fee: $3,050.00
PADI Fees Due at IE: $1,206.00
Total IDC Investment: $4,256.00
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PADI PRO Platinum
Our PADI PRO Platinum IDC is your complete Instructor Development Package.
The PADI PRO Platinum IDC Package includes everything in our PADI PRO Gold IDC and five PADI Specialty Instructor courses of your choice.
Course Fee: $3,500.00
PADI Fees Due at IE: $1,590.00
Total IDC Investment: $5,090.00
The PADI PRO Platinum package includes five PADI Specialty Instructor courses. At the Instructor Examination, candidates typically receive one Specialty Instructor application at no charge, so the PADI fee total reflects four paid Specialty Instructor application fees.
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Our IDC packages are designed to clearly show your full investment, including course tuition, PADI fees due at the Instructor Examination, required IDC materials, and package-specific instructor training options.
What's Included in Your PADI IDC Package
Depending on the package selected, IDC candidates may receive:
PADI Digital IDC Crewpac, including IDC eLearning
Optional two-day prep course to review dive theory
Enriched Air Nitrox Specialty Instructor Course
EFR Instructor Course with the PADI PRO Gold and PADI PRO Platinum packages
MSDT Prep Course with the PADI PRO Platinum package
The Enriched Air Nitrox Specialty Instructor Course is included for candidates who already hold an Enriched Air Diver certification and have at least 10 logged dives using Enriched Air Nitrox.
The PADI Digital IDC Crewpac includes:
Guide to Teaching
IDC eLearning
PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy and Project AWARE Specialty Course Instructor Guides
Open Water Diver Quizzes and Exams
Rescue Diver Final Exams
Divemaster Final Exams
Aquatic Cue Cards for Open Water Diver, Adventures in Diving, Rescue Diver, Divemaster, and Discover Scuba Diving
Skill Development Preparation Slate
Diving Knowledge eLearning
PADI Backpack
What's Not Included
PADI fees are not included in the IDC course fee and are payable at the time of the Instructor Examination or application. The PADI fee totals are shown with each package so you can understand your full IDC investment before enrolling.
2026 PADI fees include:
IE Fee: $825.00
IDC Fee: $235
EFR Instructor Fee: $146
Specialty Instructor Application Fee: $96 per specialty applied for
Lake entry fees, if applicable
Instructor Development Course Prerequisites
To join the PADI IDC at Sugar Land Dive Center, you must meet the following prerequisites:
Be certified as a PADI Divemaster or hold a leadership-level certification with another recognized recreational diver training organization
Be at least 18 years old
Have at least 60 logged dives to begin the IDC
Have at least 100 logged dives at the time of the Instructor Examination
Have been a certified diver for at least six months
Have a PADI Medical Statement signed by a physician within the last 12 months
Have current EFR Primary and Secondary Care training, or equivalent CPR and First Aid training, completed within the last 24 months.
Complete a diver rescue skills assessment if you are not a PADI Divemaster
Have personal dive accident insurance, such as DAN
Why Choose Sugar Land Dive Center?
Sugar Land Dive Center offers Houston-area IDC candidates a professional, locally accessible path to becoming a PADI Instructor. Our program is led by Phillip Hetherington, a full-time PADI Platinum-honored Course Director and the owner of Sugar Land Dive Center.
You will train in a professional, supportive environment with direct mentorship, structured workshops, realistic teaching practice, and continued support before and after your IDC. Whether you choose a scheduled IDC or IDC on Demand, our goal is to help you become a confident, capable, and successful PADI Instructor.
Sugar Land Dive Center also has its own indoor heated pool, providing IDC candidates with a convenient, controlled training environment for workshops, skill development, and teaching practice.
Sugar Land Dive Center is also a family-operated dive shop serving the Greater Houston area. Candidates work directly with the owners and instructional team, creating a more personal and supportive IDC experience from the first conversation through the Instructor Examination.
Our Promise to You
Our promise is simple: we will provide the best training possible. When you complete an IDC with Sugar Land Dive Center, we guarantee you will pass your PADI Instructor Examination, or you may return and participate in another IDC at no additional cost.
PADI fees are not included.
Interested in a Destination IDC?
Prefer a destination training experience? Sugar Land Dive Center also offers access to a separate PADI IDC in Cozumel, Mexico, through Dive Boutique Cozumel / Cozumel Dive Academy. This is a separate destination IDC option, ideal for candidates who want to complete their instructor training in a tropical dive destination.
For Houston-area candidates who want to train locally, save travel costs, and work directly with Phillip Hetherington at Sugar Land Dive Center, our scheduled IDC and IDC on Demand options remain the best fit.
Learn More About the Cozumel IDC
Already a Certified Instructor With Another Agency?
Our crossover program helps qualified instructors from other agencies transition to PADI and unlock new professional opportunities.
