PADI
Professional Association of Diving Instructors · founded 1966- The largest agency in the world, issuing about a million certifications a year
- Thousands of dive centers across 180+ countries
- Polished eLearning you can finish before your trip
Depth 0 ft · the surface
Every diver starts with one breath underwater.
Diver.org is the independent home for divers. Learn how certification works, find a dive shop near you, explore the best dive spots on Earth, and share your own dives with the community.
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Depth 0 ft · Learn to Dive
How to become a certified diver
An Open Water certification is your lifetime license to dive with a buddy, anywhere in the world, to 60 feet. Most people finish in three or four days, and the course usually costs $550 to $700 at a local dive shop.
1
Knowledge
Online or classroom lessons on pressure, equipment and safety. Do it at home at your own pace.
2
Pool skills
Breathe underwater for the first time in a pool, clear your mask, and practice buoyancy.
3
Open water dives
Four dives in the ocean, a lake or a quarry with your instructor, putting the skills to work.
4
Certified
You receive your card. It never expires, and every dive shop in the world recognizes it.