NAUI is the National Association of Underwater Instructors. Click here for more information about the history of NAUI.
There are some important differences between other agencies and NAUI. NAUI is a Not-For-Profit Worldwide Education Association, incorporated under the laws of the State of Florida. NAUI's purpose is to enable people to enjoy underwater activities as safely as possible by providing the highest quality practical education, and to actively promote the preservation and protection of the world's underwater environments. To accomplish this, NAUI trains, qualifies, and certifies leaders and instructors, establishes minimum standards for various levels of diver training, and provides various programs, products, and support materials to assist NAUI leaders and instructors with their diving supervising and teaching. NAUI's primary purpose is also reflected in the association's motto, "Dive Safety Through Education". The quality of training provided by NAUI Instructors is of great importance to the Association, so NAUI employs various methods of evaluation to ensure that NAUI standards are met when NAUI instruction is conducted. As a pioneer in diving education, NAUI has developed many of the programs and concepts accepted throughout the diving industry. NAUI constantly strives to increase the safety of diving by upgrading the Association's standards and programs.
NAUI Instructors are qualified, professional educators who are granted academic freedom to teach diving in any reasonable manner as long as NAUI standards and policies are met. NAUI training support materials are designed for flexibility in teaching. NAUI Instructors may exceed NAUI standards in ways that do not jeopardize student safety. Examples include exceeding the number of required open water dives or increasing the academic content. One of the things the NAUI Credo states is that it is more important to train a few students well than to certify many marginally trained divers. We further believe that educational quality must never be sacrificed for economic reasons. Also, NAUI believes that divers should not be totally dependent upon their equipment or others for their safety. NAUI members emphasize the skills of diving, and anyone certified as a diver should be able to perform the basics of a rescue of a buddy diver.
To request a replacement card, completely fill out the Replacement Card form and (if possible) email or fax us a clear photocopy of your training logbook pages and/or temporary certification card/ validation form, or a clear photocopy of your existing card. Include these with the replacement request form. You may download the Replacement Card Form in PDF format. The prices on the form are current. You will need to download the Adobe Acrobat Reader to be able to read and print the form. If this option does not work for you, to obtain a form, please contact a local NAUI Dive Center, NAUI office, or NAUI Worldwide directly. In order to fulfill your request, we also need a copy of a photo ID (Driver's License, Passport, etc.) and payment. If the diver who is requesting the card is under 18, we also need the Parent/Guardian's signature. We accept Money Orders, Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. Extra charges may also be incurred if your request requires research into paper records and expedited shipment.
To obtain a Junior upgrade card, email or fax us a clear photocopy of the junior certification card, and a clear photocopy of a photo ID, indicating age. Include these with a replacement request form. You may download the Replacement Card Form in PDF format. The prices on the form are current. You will need to download the Adobe Acrobat Reader to be able to read and print the form. If this option does not work for you, to obtain a form, please contact a local NAUI Dive Center, NAUI office, or NAUI Worldwide directly. In order to fulfill your request, if the diver who is upgrading is under 18, we also need the Parent/Guardian's signature. When you submit all the paperwork, please do not forget to include payment. We accept Money Orders, Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. Extra charges may also be incurred if your request requires research into paper records or rush shipment.
To request a replacement card with your new name, email or fax us a clear photocopy of a photo ID, your legal name change documentation (marriage certificate, divorce decree, etc.) and a clear photocopy of your existing card. Include these with a replacement request form. You may download the Replacement Card Form in PDF format. The prices on the form are current. You will need to download the Adobe Acrobat Reader to be able to read and print the form. If this option does not work for you, to obtain a form, please contact a local NAUI Dive Center, NAUI office, or NAUI Worldwide directly. In order to fulfill your request, if the diver who is requesting the card is under 18, we also need the Parent/Guardian's signature. When you submit all the paperwork, please do not forget to include payment. We accept Money Orders, Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. Extra charges may also be incurred if your request requires research into paper records or rush shipment.
The NAUI Instructor Training Course (ITC) is designed to train and qualify NAUI Instructor candidates for application to become instructor members. During the course, candidates learn effective methods to teach skin and scuba diving in compliance with current NAUI Standards and Policies. The course assures the NAUI membership that candidates who receive certification as NAUI Instructors have the knowledge, skills, fitness and proper attitude to do so.
The ITC may be presented in two phases. If done so, phase one, called an Instructor Training Program (ITP), contains all developmental training except for the final evaluations. During an ITP, candidate practice performances must be evaluated by at least two qualified evaluators, one of whom may be a Staff Training Workshop (STW) graduate and the other an Instructor Trainer (IT) or Course Director (CD). The ITP can be conducted in many formats, ranging in length from one week to an internship over an extended period. The second or final phase of an ITC so organized is called the instructor qualification program (IQP), during which a Course Director must be in residence and all final evaluations will be made.
Candidates may receive Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for training and experience they have accumulated. This recognition is based upon evidence of prior learning and experience provided by a candidate and becomes a part of that candidate’s training record. It is used to develop an individualized training plan so that standards and requirements of the ITC are met, and usually results in an accelerated program that leads to graduation and qualifying an applicant for membership. RPL may also be used for qualifying leadership candidates, i.e., assistant instructor and divemaster.
NAUI differs medical questions about fitness to dive to the medical experts at the Undersea Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) and the Divers Alert Network (DAN).
NAUI does not condone drinking alcohol prior to diving. We recommend that you do not drink alcohol before or directly following your dives and that you stay well-hydrated at all times. You can find some information about these concerns in NAUI's textbook. Among other things, alcohol "impairs alertness, coordination and judgement, and is associated with an increased risk for accidents." Consumption of alcohol is also associated with increased risk of DCS, nitrogen narcosis, hypothermia/hyperthermia (depending upon the environment) and dehydration. The effects of nitrogen narcosis and hypothermia can also be magnified by the effects of alcohol. Because of these risks, drinking before diving is obviously unwise. Furthermore, drinking alcohol after diving further increases the risk of dehydration following the dive and may mask the signs & symptoms of Decompression Illnesses. Hangovers are also associated with increased susceptibility of nitrogen narcosis and may be a predisposing factor of DCS. It is the individual diver's responsibility to practice moderation when consuming alcohol.
As a current NAUI Instructor, refer to the current NAUI Standards and Policies to ensure you meet all requirements under “Who May Conduct”. Complete a NAUI First Aid Instructor Workshop and sign the First Aid Instructor agreement.
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Submit DAN credentials as a DAN full suite Instructor. Copies of your DAN credentials including the expiration date can be emailed to gro.i1734695008uan@g1734695008ninia1734695008rt1734695008. You will then be required to sign a NAUI FAI agreement. The FAI agreement can be found under Member Resources in CORE.
As a current NAUI instructor, refer to the current NAUI Standards and Policies to ensure you meet all requirements under “Who May Conduct”. Depending on the course applying for, proof of logged dives, credentials from other agencies if not NAUI certified, or a workshop may be required. *process subject to change* An application is to be submitted to the Training Department (gro.i1734695008uan@g1734695008ninia1734695008rt1734695008) including payment of the application fee as mentioned on the application.
NAUI only offers crossovers at the professional level. Your certifications from other RSTC/ ISO agencies may be used as an equivalent to fulfill the prerequisites when applying for an additional course authorization. For example, if you are a Drysuit instructor from another agency, you may complete the application process with NAUI and show proof of your Drysuit credentials from the other agency to meet NAUI standards. Always refer to the current NAUI Standards and Policies to ensure you meet all requirements.
No, NAUI only lists NAUI certifications on its site.
You will contact Member Services regarding your desire to change instructors. You will need to provide your name and email associated with your CORE account, your current instructor’s information, and the new instructor’s information that you wish to switch to. NAUI will need written confirmation from both your current instructor and your new instructor confirming that they approve the transfer. If you need assistance locating an instructor, you can utilize our locator tool to locate an affiliate/professional near you.
NAUI has a locator tool available on its site. This tool allows you to enter your zip code or address and then search for an affiliate (Dive shop) or professional (instructor) near you. There is also the option to filter by designation if you are looking for a particular type of instructor such as a Freediving Instructor or a First Aid Instructor. You can then directly contact that affiliate or professional through our site.
If you have your certification card is not showing up on our site, you will contact Member Services, gro.i1734695008uan@q1734695008hiuan1734695008. It could be that your certification predates our online database, or we are missing your date of birth. If there is a misspelling on your card, it could be misspelled in our system as well.
Download the free NAUI app and log in with the same email and password as you did on NAUI.org to access your CORE account. Then click on the tab for certifications. Then click on the small “credit card” looking icon to bring up your digital card. This digital card is for viewing in the app, it cannot be printed.
If your instructor or dive shop has provided you with an activation code/NES code, you will log into your CORE account and click on “My Courses”. From here you will have the option to activate an NES code. Follow the steps and enter the code. Next enter your instructor’s number and/or your affiliate (dive shop) if it is not already showing. This will activate your code and then your course will show under your active courses. If you need assistance, first contact your instructor and then Member Services (gro.i1734695008uan@q1734695008hiuan1734695008) if more assistance is required.
If you are no longer able to see your designation on CORE under your profile tab, it has expired. It will expire if Standards are not met within the given time period. Members must be compliant with standards in order to maintain their designations. It is best to review the standards for the designation you have lost and then contact the Training Department, .gro.1734695008iuan@1734695008gnini1734695008art1734695008
We would recommend a 24-hour surface interval prior to flying after any dive.
For the Universal Referral, the referral instructor will be the one that is going to be completing the remainder of the training, for example the check-out dives. The diver and initial instructor/dive shop will need to complete page one. On page two, Student Information and Part 1 will need to be filled out by the initial instructor/dive shop. Part 2 will be filled out by the referred (new) instructor. Once the training is completed, they will send the referral packet back to the initiating instructor/dive shop for the certification process. The paperwork should be completely filled out at this point.
Depending on the Agency of the instructor that the student is being referred to this might be slightly different.
A NAUI incident report should be filled out by your instructor and sent into NAUI Legal. Any concerns can be emailed to gro.i1734695008uan@s1734695008cihte1734695008.
The length of the course can vary from student to student and instructor to instructor. NAUI’s minimum standards state that a student will receive an estimated 14 hours of academics and 17 hours of practical experience with 10 water hours.
(see course standards for details)
You don’t necessarily need to be an advanced swimmer; however, you do need basic swimming ability. View the course you’re interested in and review the standard for it to see what swimming requirements may be.
You can send the declaration page of your liability insurance to NAUI Member Services gro.i1734695008uan@s1734695008nigsn1734695008 and they will get your CORE account updated.