If you are keen to start scuba diving and are wondering whether you can do so at your age, in this post I have it all covered for you. You will find this post equally useful in case you would like to sign up your kids for a scuba diving certification and are wondering what are the scuba diving age restrictions.
I have reviewed all the minimum age requirements of the top scuba training agencies worldwide and will tell you exactly which course you can take based on your age.
To obtain a scuba diving certification, most scuba training agencies require divers to be 10 years or older. Given the young age, scuba diving certifications for divers aged between 10 and 14 usually come with a depth limit of 40 ft or 12 meters.
However, scuba diving age requirements can be lower in case of discovery experiences such as PADI’s Bubblemaker program.
Let’s look in more details at all the available scuba diving certifications for the following age brackets:
1. kids between 6 and 9 years old
2. kids between 10 and 14 years old
3. young adults between 15 and 17 years old
4. courses for adults (18 years old and up)
As you can see the absolute minimum age to start experiencing scuba diving is 6 years old.
Below this age you will not find any diving agency offering trial diving experiences nor courses.
This is mostly due to safety reasons, and I strongly recommend sticking to this concept.
Even if you are an experienced diver, never try to have your kids use scuba equipment if they are too young.
1. Scuba Diving Courses for kids between 6 and 9 years old
If you have small kids aged between 6 and 9 years old and would like them to try out a scuba diving experience you will have four options to choose from.
Two options are offered by PADI whereas two other options are offered by SSI and SDI.
| Agency | Course Name | Minimum Age | Depth Limit |
| PADI | PADI Bubblemaker | 8 years old | 2 m / 6 ft |
| PADI | PADI Seal Team | 8 years old | 2 m / 6 ft |
| SSI | SSI Explorers | 6 years old | 5 m / 16 ft |
| SSI | SSI Try Scuba | 8 years old | 5 m / 16 ft |
| SDI | Future Buddies Program | 8 years old | 6 m / 20 ft |
- PADI Bubblemaker
The PADI Bubblemaker program is for kids aged 8 years or older.
Scope of the program is to get kids closer to the underwater world by teaching them how to breathe using scuba equipment while swimming in shallow water.
Depth limit is 2 m / 6 ft and the program is conducted in a swimming pool or in open water with swimming pool like conditions.
The PADI Bubblemaker is a perfect occasion for kids to have a very first contact with scuba diving.
- PADI Seal Team
The PADI Seal Team program is pretty much similar to the SSI’s Explore Program.
The minimum age requirement is 8 years old, and the program is structured in two parts.
In part one (Aquamissions 1 to 5), kids will learn some basic scuba diving skills including underwater breathing.
In part two, kids will be able to choose among 10 specialty Aquamissions and learn about different aspects of scuba diving.
From identifying marine life to search and recovery procedures.
The PADI Seal Team program is ideal for kids that are keen to become open water divers but do not meet the age requirements yet.
- SSI Explorers program
The brand-new SSI Explorers program is the scuba diving course with the lowest minimum requirement in terms of age. You can enrol your kids starting from the age of 6.
As you might expect, given the low minimum age requirement, the SSI Explorers program is not a scuba diving certification course.
The aim of the SSI Explorers program is to introduce kids to a wealth of aquatic activities including Scuba Diving, Snorkelling, Freediving and Mermaiding.
Kids will be able to choose one adventure and become either Scuba Explorer, Mermaid Explorer, or Freediving Explorer.
If they are really motivated, they can even choose all three adventures.
Once they have obtained their first adventure, they will be able to choose among 22 different specialties including boat explorer, rescue explorer, scooter explorer.
The SSI Explore program is definitely a good option for kids aged between 6 and 9 years that would like to have a first contact with a wealth of scuba diving activities.
- SSI Try Scuba Course
The SSI Try Scuba Course is aimed at introducing divers to some basic diving theory and practice concepts in confined water.
It is also a great occasion to test whether scuba diving is the right sport for you.
The course is aimed at adults and children alike and can be taken since the age of 8.
- SDI Future Buddies Program
The SDI future buddies program is designed to provide children between the ages of 8 and 12 and introduction to scuba diving.
Just like the other programmes from PADI and SSI, the course is conducted in a controlled environment under direct supervision of an Instructor.
The SDI Future Buddies Program is relatively more advanced than the alternatives offered by PADI and SSI. Particularly for kids aged between 8 and 9 years.
In fact, after completing the Future Buddies Program, children will be able to engage in diving activities under the direct supervision of an Instructor provided that limits of training are not exceeded.
This means that skills required during a dive, areas of diving activities and environmental conditions should approximate those of training.
2. Scuba Diving Courses for kids between 10 and 14 years old
Starting from the age of 10, you will definitely have more opportunities to start learning scuba diving.
You will in fact have access to two main categories of scuba diving activities, discover scuba diving programmes and Junior diving certifications.
- Discover Scuba Diving Programmes
Discover Scuba Diving Programmes are short half-day or one day introductory experiences to scuba diving.
They include both a theoretical and practical session and can be conducted either in a swimming pool or in open water.
In case of open water, diving conditions need to be similar to the ones found in a confined water environment (e.g. swimming pool).
Discover Scuba Diving Programmes are an amazing opportunity to start exploring the diving world.
In some cases, completing a discover scuba diving program will earn you credits towards an open water diver certification.
Among the most famous discover diving programs you have the PADI Discover Scuba Diving, the NAUI Try Scuba and Passport Scuba Diver.
- Junior Diving Certifications
Junior scuba diving certifications, as opposed to discover scuba diving programs, will allow children to have fully fledged dives with some limitations.
Limitations are dependent on the age of the diver and primarily relate to depth limits. Most agencies also impose limits on the accompanying buddy.
For example, two kids that are fully certified as PADI Junior Open Water Divers cannot dive alone in a buddy team.
| Agency | Course Name | Age | Depth Limit |
| PADI | Junior Open Water Diver | 10 years old | 12 m / 40 ft |
| SSI | Scuba Diver | 10 years old | 12 m / 40 ft |
| NAUI | Junior Scuba Diver | 10 years old | 9 m / 30 ft |
| SDI | Junior Open Water Scuba Diver | 10 years old | 15 m / 49 ft |
| GUE | Supervised Diver | 14 years old | 12 m / 40 ft |
Besides these limitations, scuba diving courses for children aged 10 years and older are the perfect entry point to start approaching the diving world.
Depth limitations are automatically removed without the need of additional examinations once children turn 15.
For example, a PADI Junior Open Water Diver automatically becomes a PADI Open Water Diver upon turning 15 years old.
Besides entry level certifications, some agencies offer also more advanced scuba diving courses in the age range between 12 and 14 years old.
| Agency | Course Name | Minimum Age | Depth Limit |
| PADI | Junior Advanced Open Water | 12 | 18 m / 60 ft |
| SSI | Junior Advanced Adventurer | 12 | 21 m / 63 ft |
| NAUI | Junior Advanced Scuba Diver | 10 | NA |
| SDI | Advanced Diver | 10 | 21 m / 63 ft |
3. Scuba Diving Courses for young adults between 15 and 17 years old
Between 15 and 17 years old, young adults will be able to take most diving courses with any preferred training agency.
Within this age range, there are no real depth limitations for open water courses or advanced diver courses.
Student divers will also have access to a wealth of scuba diving specialties or adventure dives.
The major scuba diving limitation in the age range between 15 and 17 years old is for some specific diving courses.
In fact, training agencies will not grant you access to their Rescue Diving Courses, Technical Diving Courses, as well as Professional Diving Courses.
The latter is for clear professional liability reasons, which in most countries worldwide you cannot undertake until you are 18 years old.
4. Scuba Diving courses for adults (18 years old and up)
Starting from the age of 18 you will have access to the whole offer of courses of all scuba diving training agencies.
The only limiting factors in this case are your health conditions and your personal resilience.
In particular, personal resilience comes into play for Technical Diving Courses that go beyond the recreational diving limits.
If you have just turned 18 and are approaching the scuba diving world, the main choice you will be confronted with is choosing the right training agency for the type of diving you would like to do.
My suggestion here is, rather than choosing a specific agency, turn to your local dive shop talk to them and make your choice based on the scuba diving instructor.
Most scuba diving instructors can teach courses from different agencies. They are in the best position to suggest you a specific course or agency.
Meanwhile, check out the following sites to dicover all the possible opportunities with PADI or SSI:
If you are interested in becoming an open water scuba diver with PADI, check my detailed guide.
5. Q&A on minimum Age for scuba diving
Can Kids Go Scuba?
Kids can start experiencing scuba diving as early as they are 6 years old. The SSI Explorers program offers a great opportunity for very young kids to start making the first steps into scuba diving.
Similarly, at the age of 8, they can take the PADI Bubblemaker or Seal Team program. Those are not scuba diving certifications, but just “try diving” experiences.
For a proper Scuba Diving Certification the minimum age is 10 years old. Starting from this age, kids can take the Junior version of the open water certification form PADI, SSI, NAUI, or SDI.
How Do I Teach My Kids to Scuba Dive?
Unless you are a certified scuba diving instructor in active teaching status it is unadvisable to teach your kids to scuba dive.
Scuba diving for kids does imply some risks and I strongly recommend you turn to a professional instructor to teach your kids to scuba dive.
How can I prepare my kids for scuba diving?
While it is highly unadvisable to teach your kids to scuba (unless you are a qualified instructor), you can definitely help them prepare for a scuba diving course.
For example most children-level courses require kids to be comfortable in the water. You can definitely support by teaching them some swimming and snorkelling basics.
It is also extremely helpful to start teaching your kids some of the dangers related to water (e.g. drowning in case of fatigue) to increase their level of awareness.
How Old Should I be to Become Scuba Instructor?
In order to become a scuba diving instructor, you will need to be at least 18 years old. This is the minimum age in which in most countries worldwide you can assume professional liability.
What is the minimum age for a scuba certification?
The minimum age to obtain a scuba diving certification is 10 years old. Prior to that, kids can take some diving experience courses which are however not classified as scuba certifications. There are several scuba diving agencies offering diving certification courses for kids aged 10 or upward. They include PADI, SSI, and NAUI.
What is the minimum age to start the PADI Open Water Diver Course?
The minimum age to start the PADI Open Water Course is 10 years old. Children aged between 10 and 15 will obtain a Junior Open Water certification. No additional exams are needed to convert the Junior Open Water Certification into a normal Open Water Certification.