How to Get Scuba Certified

Getting certified as a scuba diver is a fairly involved process but is worth it because of the underwater freedom it gives you. Here's how to get started.

Things You'll Need

  • Open-water Scuba Manuals
  • Dive Watches
  • 2 Scuba Regulators
  • Buoyancy Compensators
  • Certified Scuba Tanks
  • Depth Gauges
  • Dive Masks
  • Dive Weight Belts
  • Snorkels
  • Swimming Fins
  • Underwater Compasses
  • Wet Suits
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Instructions

    • 1

      Contact local dive shops for information about certification courses.

    • 2

      Pay for course you choose. Prices vary from several hundred to several thousand dollars.

    • 3

      Begin with several weeks of lecture and textbook study.

    • 4

      Go on training dives in swimming pools.

    • 5

      Go on supervised open-water dives.

    • 6

      Obtain certification.

    • 7

      Receive a laminated license and a logbook. The license will allow you to buy equipment, and the logbook will let dive charter operators know that you have enough recent dive experience.