For divers

Documents for your dive trip

This list is short, and something is still almost always missing. That is because all five things live in different places and only one of them fits in a wallet.

What the centre wants to see

Certification. Your highest qualification, plus any specialities that matter for the diving you plan - nitrox, deep, dry suit, wreck.
Dive medical certificate, if you have one or the centre requires it. Check the expiry date, not just that it exists.
Insurance proof with provider and policy number. Travel health insurance often does not cover diving accidents - that is where it gets expensive.
Logbook, or at least: how many dives, when was the last one, how deep was the deepest. After a longer break, every good centre asks.
Emergency contact. Name, phone number with country code, relationship to you. A number without a country code is useless abroad.

What goes missing most

In our experience, in this order: the expiry date of the medical, the policy number of the insurance, and the country code on the emergency contact. All three would take two minutes the night before - if anyone thought of them.

What you do not need

Printed copies of everything. A reasonably sharp photo is accepted almost everywhere as long as name, number and date are legible. What you genuinely do not need is the only copy of a document sitting in a bag on a boat.

The tip that saves the most time

Ask before you travel whether the centre offers check-in in advance. More and more send a link with the booking confirmation so you can fill everything in from home. The difference on arrival day is dramatic: you collect your gear while everyone else fills in forms.

That is the point of Diver ID: you set these five things up once and carry them to every centre - directly inside check-in at centres using Diver ID, and as a PDF you can show or send anywhere else. Because the profile is yours, a centre only sees what it needs for your check-in.

Just before you fly

Medical: does the expiry date fall after your return flight?
Insurance: does it cover diving, and what is the policy number?
Certification: on your phone as a photo, not just in your suitcase?
Emergency contact: number with country code?
Last dive more than a year ago? Book a refresher instead of improvising on day one.

Frequently asked questions

Is a photo of my certification card enough?

A legible photo is accepted almost everywhere. What matters is that name, number and agency are readable. Bringing the card as well does no harm.

Does my travel insurance cover diving accidents?

Often not, or only to a limited depth. Check the small print and take dedicated dive cover otherwise - the cost of chamber treatment is why centres ask.

What if I have not dived for a while?

Tell the centre yourself. After a year off, a refresher dive is the sensible choice - and cheaper than an abandoned first dive day.

Can I check in before I arrive?

At centres using Diver ID, yes: you fill everything in through a link and arrive finished. Ask when you book - many centres send the link with the confirmation.

Set up your dive profile for free

Certifications, medical, insurance and emergency contact in one place - and your next check-in takes seconds. Free for divers, forever, with no app to download.

Create your free profile Watch the check-in process