Age Requirement for Junior Open Water Diver Certification

by Anonymous

How old do you have to be to get your Junior Diver certification in Oklahoma?

Hi,

There are varying age requirements for your Junior Open Water Diver Certification depending on what agency you go through.

First, though, I would like to clarify that the state doesn't legislate at what age you can get your scuba diving certification - rather it is the certification agencies themselves that set their minimum age requirements.

Thus the age requirements are the same for all states.

Below I discuss the age requirements from some of the top scuba diving certification agencies. They all have different requirements and which agency you use is a matter of personal preference. Practically, though, your choice will be between the agencies the dive shops near you are associated with.

The 2 most widely recognized certification agencies are PADI and NAUI.

NAUI's minimum age to get certified is 12.

PADI requires that you be 10 or older to take the certification 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.

The next two most widely recognized agencies for certification are probably the YMCA and SSI (Scuba Schools International).

SSI minimum age requirement for scuba certification is 10. I couldn't find this information on their website, but I called a dive shop that offers certification through SSI and that was the minimum age requirement that I was quoted.

For the YMCA Scuba certification course, you must be 15 years of age or older. If you are between ages 12-14 you can earn the Junior Open Water Diver certification (requires that you dive with and adult diver)

If you want more information on what is required to get certified for diving and what the course actually entails, you can check out our page on scuba diving certification..

I wish you the best of luck and please let us know how it goes if you do go for your certification.

Dianne




Click here to post comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Information on Scuba Diving.

 Want to stay down longer and improve your buoyancy control and other diving skills? Our free report "Increase Your Bottom Time" along with our practical, weekly actionable tips will have you looking like a seasoned diver in no time. So come join us and see improvement on your very next dive!
(Click on the photo to join us now!)

Click here to subscribe

What's New

RSS

  1. Unofficially Summer

    May 25, 24 07:19 AM

    Well it is finally here. Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start of summer! Wishing everyone a happy and healthy holiday weekend. Hopefully the weather cooperates wherever you are and you will b…

    Read More

  2. Happy New Year

    Jan 01, 24 06:00 AM

    Happy New Year everyone! I hope everyone is well and had a fun New Years Eve! May your new year be filled with lots of wonderful dives. All the best to you and yours in 2024! Let the dives begin.

    Read More

  3. Happy Holidays

    Dec 14, 23 05:05 AM

    I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season! I am always amazed at how fast time flies and another year is just around the corner. I wanted to pop in and say hi to everyone. I am doing some full ti…

    Read More

  4. 3 Common Scuba Diving Mistakes New Divers Make

    Feb 23, 23 02:18 PM

    3 Common Scuba Diving Mistakes
    In this video, I share 3 common scuba diving mistakes beginner divers make. Learn how to correct these for a better - and safer - dive.

    Read More

  5. Scuba Diving Tipping Etiquette: How Much And When To Tip Scuba Crew

    Feb 06, 23 03:34 PM

    scuba diving tipping etiquette
    Not sure of scuba diving tipping etiquette? In this video I share who to tip, when to tip, how much to tip, tipping on liveaboards, tipping an instructor & more

    Read More