Open Water Certification
Your PADI Open Water certification, completed in the Florida Keys. eLearning on your schedule, pool skills with our instructors, and four open water checkout dives in Islamorada.
About this Course
PADI Open Water Diver (or Junior Open Water Diver)
If you’ve always wanted to take scuba diving lessons, experience unparalleled adventure and see the world beneath the waves, this is where it starts. When you learn to dive with Florida Keys Dive Center, you not only learn from experienced and dedicated instructors, you learn to scuba dive in one of the most beautiful locations in the United States! Getting your PADI scuba certification in the Florida Keys is an experience like none other!
To enroll in a PADI Open Water Diver course (or Junior Open Water Diver course):
- You must be 10 years old or older.
- You need adequate swimming skills and need to be in good physical health.
- No prior experience with scuba diving is required.
Redemption
Once you complete your purchase, we will send out a confirmation email on how you can schedule your class / dives.
Set Dates
Our “Set Dates” are Tues-Weds and Fri-Sat. If you need to start your class on days other than Tuesday or Friday, you’ll choose the “Custom Date” option
How the Course Works
Complete your knowledge development portion online using PADI’s interactive presentations, videos and readings. Learn the material and complete the knowledge review quizzes at your own pace for up to a year prior to your vacation. Once you arrive at Florida Keys Dive Center, you will learn and practice skills with us in the pool before completing your four open water check-out dives. Our course also includes the PADI Club Membership.
What's Covered
- PADI eLearning access
- pool skills sessions
- 4 open water checkout dives
- All gear rental
- PADI Club Membership
- Certification Card
What's Next
Rescue Diver Certification
Advanced
Advanced Open Water Course
Intermediate
Scuba Tune-Up / Refresher Course
Intermediate
Open Water Diver Referral
Beginner
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How long does it take to get PADI Open Water certified?
A: Two days on the water with us in Islamorada, plus the eLearning you finish at home first. You work through PADI’s online knowledge section at your own pace — up to a year before your trip — then arrive for pool skills and four open water checkout dives. Come with the reading done, and you’re diving the reef, not sitting in a classroom.
Q: How much is Open Water certification in the Florida Keys?
A: It starts at $555 on our set dates, which run Tuesday–Wednesday or Friday–Saturday. Need to start another day? The custom-date option is $650. Either price includes PADI eLearning access, all gear rental, your four checkout dives, PADI Club Membership, and your certification card.
Q: Do I need to know how to swim to get scuba certified?
A: Yes. Open Water students need adequate swimming skills and reasonable physical health — no athlete’s fitness required, just real comfort in the water. You must be at least 10 years old. No prior scuba experience is necessary; that’s the whole point of the course.
Q: What certification do I earn, and where can I use it?
A: You earn the PADI Open Water Diver rating (or Junior Open Water Diver for younger students). That card is recognized at dive sites in 186 countries. Get certified on our reefs here, then use it in the Maldives, the Red Sea, or on the Great Barrier Reef.
Q: Can I finish the classroom part before I arrive?
A: You can, and we recommend it. PADI’s interactive eLearning — presentations, videos, and knowledge quizzes — is done online at your own pace, valid for up to a year before you dive. Already started elsewhere? Our Open Water referral program lets you finish just the checkout dives here.
Book Your Course Online
Morning and afternoon charters run year-round from Three Waters Marina. Whether you're booking a charter, a course, or just have questions — we're here.