Lost C-Cards, Verifying Certification

[Drew Sailbum]

Every week we have people showing up at our dive center who claim to be certified, but have lost their c-cards. If they have a PADI certification, we can verify that using PADI's website. The online verification (plus other photo id) confirms certification and gets the diver in the water.

For other agencies, we fax the diver's information and wait for a reply. Sometimes the reply takes several days.

Do any of the other agencies have online verification? Is there a faster way to verify certification?

 

[roxy271]

Originally posted by Drew Sailbum
Every week we have people showing up at our dive center who claim to be certified, but have lost their c-cards. If they have a PADI certification, we can verify that using PADI's website. The online verification (plus other photo id) confirms certification and gets the diver in the water.

For other agencies, we fax the diver's information and wait for a reply. Sometimes the reply takes several days.

Do any of the other agencies have online verification? Is there a faster way to verify certification?

Naui is online but unlike PADI Naui dosen't have enough people to check information quickly but you can enter it on the web it helps to have instructors name and sa much info as the diver has to speed things up.

 

[art.chick]

If you can inform guests ahead of time that they can phone the HQ of their agency in the event of missing c-cards, most will fax verification wherever it needs to go. Notification ahead of time will eliminate the several day's wait when the guests arrive. For those that don't read the friendly note to guests, guess they will just have to miss 3 days of diving. As a californian, I am always surprised that divers casually misplace c-cards. Nobody out here will fill a tank without one.

 

[scubatomwetzel]

Most associations records have been tossed. The data will not be online. I know, I have checked. One might have to get in contact with the original instructor or dive shop for the information.

 

[redacted]

For my wife & myself. Printouts of the copies stay in log book while cards stay in wallet. Plus digital copy on home computer. I'm hoping this will cover us. At least it should make the check as easy as possible.

 

[Scubamedicjoe]

well i can tell you with someone that was certified in 1972 by originally by NASDS which is now donr by SSI well to make a long storyy short they records dont go back that far so i have started now keeping a dive long on line ect along with whats in my cobra , what is bad if i looss my card i will be having hard time replacing it ect so in that lines i am in process taking the dive master course through SSI so I have a current cert agency

 

[OkieDiver]

Medic13, if you still have your NASDS card you can go to any SSI shop and they can get you a current SSI card with a number on it. Beginning April 1st all NASDS replacement cards are being converted to SSI.

 

[Scubamedicjoe]

I lost everything this last year in a house fire , all my gear, log book c cards ect thats why i strongly suggest everyone kep a online dive log too as a back up

 

[Cubby46]

Currently going through NASDS hell. They claim the records prior to 1977 were lost in a fire. To complicate things, my basic instructor, who was a family/church friend, kept spotty records and passed away ltwo years ago. My log books are MIA as well as my c card during a move.

I lost everything this last year in a house fire , all my gear, log book c cards ect thats why i strongly suggest everyone kep a online dive log too as a back up

 

[Bubble Blower 479]

If your worried about a losing your card, get a replacement now and keep one in your wallet and another with your log. That way your already covered before you lose it.