What are the age requirements for kids?

[Boatlover]

What are the minimum age restrictions for certification for children?

[adurso]

10 years of age for most agencies. You will be inundated shortly with those who will explain, at length, why this is a bad idea.

[Standingbear56]

12 for CMAS.

[mselenaous]

In summary:
PADI Bubblemaker/Seal Team is for 8-10 yrs olds restricted to pool activities only.
PADI Jr. Open Water starting at age 10 (provided the parent feels the child has the maturity to make critical life-saving decisions in a crisis). Classes are restricted in size to max of 4 students when any of the students is below age 12 (limit 2 children per class). Certified children ages 10-15 must dive with the parent or an insured Pro (Divemaster, Instructor, etc.). They are limited to 40 ft depth. If they complete Jr. Advanced OW then children are limited to 70 ft depth. Children age 15+ recieve an adult OW certification and up may dive with any certified diver provided they have parental consent.

I don't have the info to compare this with other agencies' criteria.

[Slamfire]

Irrespective of what training agencies have as a policy, you should be aware that there may be long term health risks associated with diving during preteen and teen years.

Possible retardation of bone growth: Long bones, like the humerus and femur, mature from growth plates, the active ends of bones where increases in length occur. The last of the growth plates generally do not cease activity until the late teens or early twenties. As these growth plates depend upon nearby blood vessels for oxygen and nutrition, physicians have long been concerned that nitrogen bubbles in the bloodstream may result in damage to these critical tissues. In addition, the development of bone and connective tissue involves molecular oxygen, raising the possible adverse effects of the elevation of oxygen partial pressures occurring during diving.

You can read more here.

[rkenley]

As this request is to the AUSI forum, here are the age limits for AUSI. Note, this information is freely available at:
www[remove_me].ausi.com.au/ausi/Resources/S4BAUSIScubaStandards1108.pdf
For registered visitors. Visit www[remove_me].ausi.com.au to register.

AUSI Scuba Experience (Introduction to Scuba) - At least 8 years
AUSI Scuba Adventure (Introductory Scuba Dive/Resort Dive) - At least 12 years
AUSI LEVEL I SCUBA DIVER (Supervised Scuba Diver) - At least 12 years
AUSI LEVEL II SCUBA DIVER (International Open Water Diver) - At least 12 years
AUSI LEVEL III SCUBA DIVER (Advanced Open Water Diver (30m)) - At least 15 years
AUSI RESCUE - At least 15 years
AUSI LEVEL IV SCUBA DIVER (Deep Diver) - At least 16 years
AUSI LEVEL V SCUBA DIVER (Rescue + Deep)- At least 16 years
AUSI Level VI Professional (Dive Master) - At least 18 years
AUSI SCUBA ASSISTANT - At least 16 years
AUSI SCUBA ADVENTURE INSTRUCTOR - At least 18 years
AUSI Assistant Scuba Instructor - At least 18 years
AUSI Level I Scuba Instructor (Resort Diver Instructor) - At least 18 years
AUSI Level II Scuba Instructor (Open Water Scuba Instructor) - At least 18 years
All higher instructor levels require AUSI Level II Scuba Instructor