Australian Skydive License Levels: Explained!

Are you excited about the idea of learning how to skydive in Australia? We’re excited about the idea of teaching you! Like the world’s other national parachute federations (for example: the USPA in the US and the BPA in the UK), the APF — our very own Australian Parachute Federation — gives the licensing requirements for learning to skydive solo in our fair nation. As a smart, growth-minded skydiving student, you’ll want to be familiar with these from the very start of your sport skydiving journey. Let’s get started!

The APF A-License

After you earn your APF A-License, you’ll be cleared to make two kinds of skydives: a solo jump, or a skydive with a certified skydiving instructor. You won’t be limited to skydiving in Australia; because the Australian APF A-License is internationally recognised, most sport skydiving drop zones around the world will accept A-license skydivers and grant them the same rights and responsibilities.

In order to earn your APF A-License, you’ll fulfill the following requirements:

1. Successfully complete all of your AFF stages 
2. Land within 30 meters of a designated target in landing area ten times without assistance
3. Pass a written evaluation

Want to get that AFF sorted? Completing it with a Skydive Ramblers AFF Package is the most efficient way to go.

APF B-Rels

The APF B-Rel program will begin to fine-tune your bodyflight skills — as well as prepare you to have fun in the sky with other qualified sport skydivers. Completing your B-Rels involves comprehensive, one-on-one coaching with a certified instructor.

To complete your B-Rels, you’ll fulfill these requirements:

1. Earn a valid APF A-license. 
2. Proven to a certified skydiving instructor that you are safe and confident in a multi-skydiver jump scenario

We have a package specifically designed to help you breeze through your B-Rels. Check it out!

APF B-License

Want to jump with up to 9 of your beastly besties? You’ll need to earn your B-License. Luckily Skydive Ramblers has an accommodation-inclusive package to help you reach that goal (so you can celebrate as thoroughly as the accomplishment deserves!). From here, you’ll be able to start learning other ways to fly your body — and keep building those essential skydiving skills.

To complete your B-License, you’ll fulfill these requirements:

1. Earn a valid APF A-license (or show an equivalent license from another national parachuting organization) and successfully complete your B-Rels
2. Perform a verified 10x nominated landings within 25 meters of the target.

B License + Star Crest

What’s next? More friends! With an APF B-license + Star Crest, you’ll be certified to skydive with a group of more than 10 other skydivers. That’s a lot of social airtime, no?

To complete your B-license + Star Crest, you’ll fulfill these requirements:

1. Complete all previous certifications
2. Perform three verified separate, successful eight-to-ten-way formations, as the fifth (or later) skydiver to join.

APF C-License

Want to skydive at night? With a camera, so you can get some sweet skydiving videos? Do a HALO skydive (from above 15,000 feet, with supplemental oxygen? Skydive in winds of up to 25 knots? That’s James Bond stuff, we know, but it’s totally possible with an APF C-License.

To complete your C-license, you’ll fulfill these requirements:

1. Complete all previous certifications
2. Log at least 100 stable freefall skydives
3. Perform at least 10x witnessed verified landings within 10 meters of the target centre,
   or a 20 x 10m runway, performed without canopy control assistance
   
4. Perform 5x verified, consecutively nominated landings within 20 meters of the target

Pro tip: It’s about now that buying a big block of discounted skydiving jump tickets starts to make a lot of sense.

APF D-License

With a D-License, stuff gets even cooler. With this level of skydiving certification, you’ll be able to put on a wingsuit for the first time and test out your wings. And speaking of baby birds: You can even help to bring more skydivers into the sport by training to become a B-Rel coach. (Cool, huh?)

To complete your D-license, you’ll fulfill these requirements:

1. Complete all previous certification levels
2. Log at least 200 freefall skydives 
3. Perform at least 20x landings within 5 meters of the target.

APF E-License

The APF E-License is the apex of radness. At this point, you’re a full-grown skydiver with all the rights and responsibilities that entails. At this point, you’re able to train to become a Tandem Skydiving Instructor, an AFF Skydive Instructor, a Wingsuit Coach and a Demonstration Skydiver. Welcome to the next exciting chapter of your skydiving life!

To complete your E-license, you’ll fulfill these requirements:

1. Complete all previous certification levels
2. Log at least 500 freefall skydives 
3. Perform 20x verified landings within one meter of the target. 

What a journey, right? We bet you can’t wait to get started. Make that first step: reach out to us to start learning to skydive in Australia. It’ll be the challenge — and the reward! — of a lifetime.