Scuba Diving Certifications

Opening the Door to Adventure

All scuba diving certifications begin with training with a recognized scuba training agency. These agencies adhere to strict training guide lines. These guide lines insure that students receive training that is essential for safe scuba diving. After successful completion of the training, divers receive a certification card. With this c-card, a diver can scuba dive, rent scuba gear, and get scuba tanks filled anywhere there is a full service dive operation.


A scuba diving training certification is not free and it is not easy. Getting a basic scuba certification is kind of like getting a driver's license. It takes mental and physical training, but in the end, it's worth the effort.

Certifying Agencies

There are many different scuba diving certification agencies around the world. It's good to investigate the agencies that are close to home, or get a recommendation from a friend who is a certified diver when you are thinking about scuba training. Each certifying agency will offer a little different approach to scuba training.

The PADI Scuba Diver Certification and the NAUI Scuba Diving Certification are the two most popular scuba certifications. PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) is the world's largest certifying agency. Since its beginning in 1966, over 13 million divers around the world have been certified by PADI.

Also very popular, NAUI (National Association of Underwater Instructors) is known worldwide for their high standard of scuba training. NAUI, like PADI sets quality standards for scuba instructors to insure students get the best possible dive training.

Other certifying agencies in the States are SSI (Scuba Schools International), PDIC (Professional Diving Instructors Corporation), and YMCA.

In Europe, the main certifying agency is CMAS Confederation Mondiale des Activites Subaquatiques). Their training is designed for the waters around Europe. In the UK, most dive training is done through BSAC (British Sub-Aqua Club). Like CMAS, BSAC tailors their training for the waters around the UK and Europe.

Dive Instructors