C-card legal requirement for recreational diver - which countries?

[randini]

In Chile it is required.

According to the Chilean Constitution the Navy has absolute jurisdiction over everything involving the ocean (from the highest high tide mark down and including to the limit of the upper edge of the sand on beaches). According to the Navy all divers are required to have an appropriate C-card for the diving you will be doing (recreational, "commercial" fishing or commercial diving).

Up until July 19, 2012, that meant having a card issued by the Chilean Navy which requires a written and practical exam and a medical form (physical) signed by a doctor. The recreational card is only valid for 2 years and renewable with a renewed medical form. There are at least two levels for recreational divers: autonomos sport diver and specialist. The first is basically a OW or AOW equivalent, but in order to use any tools underwater (such as a camera) you are required to carry the specialist card. CMAS has also been in Chile for a long time. I'm not sure if there is reciprocity between them, but as far as I know, most (if not all) CMAS instructors also offer Navy cards to their students.

On July 19 the Navy signed an agreement of reciprocity with PADI Americas to recognize PADI cards in Chile and the Chilean Navy's "autonomous recreational diver" card is to be recognized by PADI centers as the equivalent of AOW, at least that's what the Navy's website says. Here's a link to the announcement on the Navy's website: Directemar - AUTORIDAD MARÍTIMA FIRMÓ CONVENIO DE RECONOCIMIENTO INTERNACIONAL DE BUCEO DEPORTIVO .

Basically the only thing that the agreement changed is that now PADI cards are recognized in addition to the Navy's. Then Navy cards are still offered.

As far as I know the punishment for diving without a card is the confiscation dive gear and possible fines.

 

[miketsp]

I think there is some kind of confusion regarding CMAS certifications.

CMAS certifications (with exception of instructor levels) never expire (so EN 14153-1, -2, -3). You might have an expiration date on your CMAS card but this is not linked to the expiration of your non-instructor certification but to the possible expiration of your medical certificate.

..snip..
Hope this clears things up.

That may be how CMAS sees it or how a commercial operator may interpret it. But I'm pretty sure it will not fly with a low-level naval inspector checking cards as you board the boat. He will see a validity date and that's it. At least here in Brazil, you don't need a new medical certificate, you just pay the renewal fee - which is why no-one does it.

 

[FinnMom]

... CMAS certifications (with exception of instructor levels) never expire

But they used to! The instructors in our club still get contacted once or twice a year by divers with older C-cards that have expired. When/if they are granted a renewal they get a current CMAS cert card which does not expire.

According to the Finnish Dives Association website CMAS* (so-called "1-star" or "P1") have been w/o an expiration date since 1.9.1996 and CMAS**/"2-star" and CMAS***/"3-star" since 1.1.2006. These are all non-instructor cards. As I understand all CMAS instructor cards do still expire.

 

[Wookie]

Some of the Marine Protected Areas (MPA) here require a permit to dive. They will not issue a permit without c-card. Huge fines for diver and boat owner if diving is done without permit.

I don't know where ajduplessis is, but the National Parks in the United States require all commercial operators verify that their customers have c-cards or are under the direct supervision of an instructor for the level of training they are taking. They do not require the same for private boats.

 

[turnerjd]

I can, sort of, speak for France.
If you want to dive on your own, alone or with friends but not in a club or with a dive op, you are not required to have any certification.
If you want to dive with a dive op, you should have a french level 1 or an equivalence delivered by the dive op, depending on log book, foreign c-card and/or evaluation dive (theotically, you can go to a dive op, say that you have thousands of dives but no c-card, and after a check-out dive, he can deliver you an equivalence, even if you don't have a c-card. From a pratical standpoint, they would require one, but it is not a legal requirement.

As for the medical form, I believe it is only a strict requirement for the diving lessons for level 1 and better, and that some dive op only require a medical self-filled form for first dives and for recreational dives.
I am not one hundred percent sure about this last point.

unfortunately the French government gets far too involved in things like diving.

The medical certificate, signed by a licensed physician is a legal requirement for any diving done with a club or dive op. You don't have to have one for diving on your own, but most insurances won't cover you without it (usually hidden in the small print). Self certification doesn't exist.

similarly, the French law dictates diving qualifications, and they are structured quite differently from RSTC courses. The French have two sorts of diver, autonomous, and guided, and the different levels then increase the legally allowed maximum dive depth from 20, to 40, and finally 60m (on air). They also have very strict legal rules about the legal responsibility of buddies, and who is responsible underwater.

To dive with a club or dive op you need to have documented proof of qualification, but at this point you can have some very bad surprises! Coming to France with an OW, AOW, or rescue where everywhere else in the world you would be allowed to dive without a guide you would be classed as a 'PE' or guided diver, and certainly not considered as capable of leading a buddy pair. This can severely reduce your choice of dive site. In addition, you will almost certainly have to have a checkout dive when an instructor will evaluate you and give you an equivalence, but this is only valid for that instructor or dive op.

Similarly, waivers of responsibility don't exist, and if they did they would have no legal value as French law clearly states the responsibility of each person.

Conclusion, diving in France can be a real headache for those that want to do one or two dives on holiday.

Jon

 

[xyrandomyx]

Some of the Marine Protected Areas (MPA) here require a permit to dive. They will not issue a permit without c-card. Huge fines for diver and boat owner if diving is done without permit.

Really? They're supposed to ask for a C-Card? They barely even glanced at my ID when I got my MPA permit.

 

[clownfishsydney]

In Australia, including Queensland, there is no legal requirement to be certified to scuba dive. However, in Queensland, you must be certified to dive off a commercial boat. I expect that most of the world is similar to this.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Don't know if it was the law but I was required to present my c card at Rosario Island in Colombia.

 

[exposure]

I was refused to dive in a french pool because I don't have a french certification
It seems to not be the case everywhere hopefully, some recognized foreign c-cards but it is more difficult than anywhere else.

 

[Divescape]

Really? They're supposed to ask for a C-Card? They barely even glanced at my ID when I got my MPA permit.

So long as your Madiba's are the right colour the post office does not care!