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Scuba Diving Certification
Welcome to a World of Fun!

Your scuba diving certification. Once you get it, you won't regret it. A whole new world has just opened up to you. Welcome to the world of diving!

(If you haven't already, you might want to take a look at our page on scuba diving basics for an intro to the sport).

OK, so what exactly does getting certified mean? And what do you have to do to become certified? (Note: Getting certified is different than taking a scuba diving resort course)

There aren't many requirements for taking a certification course. Basically you should be in good physical shape and be comfortable in the water. A clearance from your doctor would be a good idea if you have any doubts.

During the course you will have to be able to swim 200 yards. However, you can use any stroke and there is no time limit on how long it takes. You also have to tread water or float for 10 minutes. Again, you can use any methods you want.
For PADI you must be 10 or older to take the course. Students younger than 15 will receive the PADI Junior Open Water Diver certification. It can then be upgraded to PADI Open Water Diver certification upon reaching 15. For Naui, you must be 12 or older to take the course.
That's about it. You're good to go.

Scuba Diving Lessons

When people talk about having their scuba diving certification it means they have passed their training and have their certification card (more commonly known as a c-card).
Training consists of:

Book work

Exams

Pool training

Open water dives

How much time does it take to get certified?"

The amount of time it takes to get your scuba diving certification depends on what avenue you take. There are intensive weekend courses where you can do all your book work and pool work in one weekend. This option usually involves advance reading.

I think this could be a bit overwhelming if you have no prior experience. I just don't see how you can become comfortable with everything in so short a time. What's the rush anyway? You want to be as comfortable as possible on that first open water dive. but that's just my 2 cents.

At the opposite end are the options where you meet over the course of several weeks to do your book and pool work. This is the option we chose.

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P.S. Are you wondering how we came up with the name of our newsletter? Find out the meaning on our Coco Zone Dive Club newsletter page.

We met once a week for 6 weeks when we did our scuba dive certification in New York. The first part of the night involved the classroom (about 1 1/4 hours) followed by pool work (about 1 1/2 hours).

They now even have on-line certification courses which allows you to do the book portion of your scuba diving certification from anywhere.

After you successfully complete the book and pool work, you then get a referral to do your open water dives. These are usually done in a lake, quarry or ocean. You typically do these dives over the course of 2 days.

Scuba diving certification usually requires 4 or 5 successful open water dives. You also have to do your open water dives within a certain amount of time of receiving your referral.

How much does it cost to get your scuba diving certification?

Prices for the course and pool work portion of your scuba diving certification can range anywhere from around $150 to several hundred. I think $200-$250 is probably about average. If you take book portion online through PADI, the course currently costs $120. You still have to pay for your in water training and open water dive portions.

Just be aware that a more expensive course does not necessarily mean a higher quality course. And this is not the time to go bargain hunting. You want a well qualified instructor. After all, this is your life and you really need to be properly trained.

If you are curious about the cost of scuba diving once you get certified, check this page out.

How long does certification last?

Once you receive your card, you are certified for life. There is no other mandatory training. As I'll explain below, there is other optional training you can do, but nothing more is required before you can start diving.

Having a c-card means you have passed the basic skills needed to go diving. Dive shops will now let you go diving with them and rent equipment. I will note though, that some dive shops make you do a checkout dive. This is to satisfy themselves that you are a competent diver. scuba diving certification

Shops that make you do checkout dives are mainly located at dedicated dive resorts. Here, you can usually go diving unaccompanied by a divemaster. So they are looking out for both their and your interests. For the most part, though, you can go to any dive shop and start diving. So start planning that scuba dive vacation

This certification is different than scuba diving resort courses. Resort courses only allow you to dive at that particular resort and only for the duration of that stay.

The two main certification agencies are PADI and NAUI. Other agencies, such as YMCA and SSI, also offer scuba diving certification but NAUI and PADI are the most widely recognized.

The dive shop (or other entity) that you take your training from will be affiliated with one of these agencies. That is who you will receive your card from.

What are the types of dive certifications?

The most common scuba diving certification for recreational divers is the open water diver. Once you finish this course and pass the tests and dives, you are good to go.

We did our scuba diving certification in Manhattan, New York. I know it's not the first place you think about when you think of scuba diving. We did the book and pool part of the course in NYC and the open water portion of the course in Antigua. So you really can get certified anywhere.

If you don't know where to go to get certified, most dive shops offer certification courses. University and community colleges may also offer training. You can also check the yellow pages and online for listing of dive operators.

Most dive shops in the Caribbean also offer certification courses. Just be aware that you will be spending a large portion of your vacation training. The Caribbean also offers some opportunities for cheap scuba diving certification. But pay attention to quality. You don't want to skimp here.

Once you are diving, there are additional courses you can take to add to your scuba diving certification. These include: