How to Get Your Skydiving License: The Path to an A-License

A tandem jump shows you the sky. A license lets you own it. For a lot of people, that first tandem plants a seed — and sooner or later they're asking the real question: how do I actually learn to do this myself? The answer is a structured training path that takes you from total beginner to a licensed skydiver who can jump solo with your own gear. Here's how that journey works.

(Important framing: licensing requirements, programs, and standards are set by your national body and administered by your drop zone and instructors — in North America that's largely the USPA and its training framework. This is an overview of how the path generally works; your DZ and instructors are the authority on exactly what you'll do and what's required. The USPA Skydiver's Information Manual is the reference document for all of it.)

The first license: the A-license

The entry-level skydiving license is the A-license. Earning it means you've demonstrated the fundamental skills to jump safely on your own, without direct supervision, and to be welcomed at drop zones as a self-sufficient jumper. It's the gateway credential — the thing that turns you from "student" into "skydiver."

To get there, you go through a structured student program. In the USPA system this is the Integrated Student Program (ISP), a progressive curriculum that builds your skills jump by jump.

How student training works

You don't go from tandem to solo in one leap. The training is deliberately progressive, and most drop zones offer one of a couple of pathways:

• Accelerated Freefall (AFF) is the most common modern path. After ground training, your early jumps are made with instructors falling alongside you — you're doing your own freefall, deploying your own canopy, but with one or two instructors right there to coach, stabilize, and intervene if needed. As you demonstrate competence, the instructors progressively step back until you're jumping solo.
• Some DZs offer variations or alternative progressions. Your drop zone will explain what they run.

Across these jumps you learn and demonstrate a stack of skills: stable freefall, controlled turns, tracking (moving horizontally through the air), altitude awareness, deploying at the right altitude, flying and landing your canopy, emergency procedures, and more. Each jump has objectives, and you progress as you meet them.

What the A-license generally requires

The specific requirements are set by your governing body and verified by instructors, but broadly, earning an A-license typically involves:

• Completing a minimum number of jumps (commonly cited around 25, though the exact figure and what counts is defined by your governing body).
• Demonstrating a set of freefall and canopy skills — stability, turns, tracking, controlled deployments, accurate landings.
• Passing a written exam on safety, procedures, and knowledge.
• Demonstrating canopy control and accuracy in landing.
• Completing required packing and gear knowledge (often including packing your own main a number of times).
• Getting sign-offs from rated instructors who verify each skill.

Again — the precise checklist is governed by your national body and confirmed by your instructors. Don't treat any blog (including this one) as the authoritative requirement list; treat it as a map of the territory.

What it takes: time, jumps, and money

Two honest realities people want to know:

Time and jumps. Getting to an A-license isn't a weekend. It's a series of jumps, and your pace depends on weather, your drop zone's schedule, your own progression, and how often you can get out to jump. Some people knock it out in a few intense weeks; many spread it over a season. Currency matters — if you take long gaps between jumps early on, you may need refreshers, so consistency helps.

Cost. Learning to skydive is a real investment. Between the student program (which costs more per jump than fun jumps later, because of the instructor involvement), gear rental, and the various fees, getting to your A-license commonly runs into the low thousands of dollars. It's worth budgeting honestly for it up front so you're not surprised. (We've written more on how much skydiving costs across tandem, license, and gear.)

What comes after the A

The A-license is the beginning, not the destination. Beyond it lie the B, C, and D licenses, each with higher jump-number and skill requirements, unlocking more activities and privileges as you go. There are also ratings — coach, instructor, and specialized disciplines — and whole sub-sports to fall down: formation flying, freeflying, canopy piloting, wingsuiting, and more.

And around the time you get your A-license, something else changes: you start jumping regularly, with your own developing style, often with the same group of people. That's when skydiving stops being a thing you did and becomes a thing you do — part of your identity. It's also when jumpers start investing in their own gear and apparel, flying their own setups, and looking like the skydivers they've become. (We touched on this transition in what changes after your A-license.)

Is it worth it?

For the people who catch the bug, there's no real question. The license is the key that unlocks the actual sport — jumping when you want, with whom you want, working on whatever you want to get better at. The student path asks something of you: time, money, focus, and a willingness to be a beginner at something genuinely demanding. What it gives back is the sky, on your own terms, for the rest of your life.

If that sounds worth it, the next step is simple: talk to your local drop zone about their student program. Ask about their pathway, their schedule, and their costs. And then start. The only jumpers who regret learning are the ones who never quite got around to it.

When you've earned your wings and you're ready to fly in apparel built for the sky, we'll be here.

Common questions about getting licensed

How many jumps does the A-license take? A minimum number set by your governing body — commonly cited around 25 — plus demonstrated skills, a written exam, and instructor sign-offs. Your DZ and the SIM are the authority on the exact requirements.

How long does it take? It depends entirely on weather, your DZ's schedule, and how often you can jump. Some people do it in a few focused weeks; many spread it across a season. Consistency helps — long gaps early can mean refresher requirements.

What's AFF? Accelerated Freefall — the most common modern training path. After ground school, your early jumps are made with instructors flying alongside you, coaching and ready to assist, stepping back progressively as you demonstrate competence until you're solo.

Do I have to pack my own parachute? Learning to pack your main is generally part of the path, and you'll do it a number of times for the license. Your reserve is always packed by a certified rigger, never by you.

Can I get licensed if I'm scared of heights? Many skydivers are, oddly enough — freefall doesn't feel like standing on a tall ledge. That said, be honest with yourself and your instructors, and progress at a pace that keeps you safe and clear-headed.

What can I do with just an A-license? Jump solo without supervision, jump with other licensed people, and be welcomed at drop zones as a self-sufficient jumper. The B, C, and D licenses unlock progressively more activities as you gain experience.