HOW OLD DO YOU HAVE TO BE TO SKYDIVE?

Hey there, adventure-seekers! Are you ready to take the plunge and soar through the sky like a bird? Well, before you strap on your parachute, there’s one question we need to answer: how old do you have to be to skydive legally?

Celebrate your 18th birthday in big style with a tandem skydive.

How Old Do You Have to Be to Go Skydiving in California?

According to US law, any skydiver must be at least 18 years old to jump. Believe it or not that’s the truth across the country. Yep, sorry kiddos, no free-falling for you until you’re officially an adult. Yeah, yeah… we know that at 16 you can drive a car, which is definitely way more dangerous than skydiving. (Not because you’re 16 yo driver my friend, but because statistically speaking, driving is more dangerous than skydiving. Period!) And there’s more… You can fly an airplane at 16! But if you are a sprightly 17 who can’t wait for the rush of free fall. You got a few more months to mentally prepare yourself for this experience of a lifetime.

Ok, you may have the coolest parents in the world, who would totally let you jump out of a plane. Even though, if you’re not old enough, a permission slip from them won’t help. It’s still a big no-no until you hit that magical age of 18. We’re not kidding – skydiving centers take their age restrictions very seriously.

Why? Well, it’s The Law

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has set this age limit to ensure that only fully-grown humans are jumping out of airplanes. It’s also to protect skydiving drop zones from legal trouble and hefty penalties if they let a minor skydive.

But look at the bright side of it, if you’re itchy to take the plunge, skydiving can be the perfect gift and a way to celebrate such an important milestone in your life.

What About Skydiving Age Restrictions in Other Countries?

You might wonder. Why have I seen a 4-year-old boy doing a first time tandem skydive in South Africa? Well, each country has its own laws and regulations regarding the sport. But we truly believe that it’s best to wait, before throwing the little ones in free fall. At least until they can tie their own shoes.

What About the Maximum Age to go Skydiving?

The good news is that there’s no maximum age limit for skydiving! As long as you’re healthy enough to take the leap, and still able to remember your own name, you can do it. In fact, a 103-year-old woman from Switzerland set the world record for being the oldest skydiver. Skydiving truly is a sport for all ages.

So, what about the future of skydiving age restrictions?

Will the minimum legal age to skydive Change? Well, anything is possible, but from our experience, we don’t see it happening anytime soon. The minimum age has gone through a few changes over the years, and the current limit has been around for a while. The only way we see this changing is if the legal age of adulthood changes nationwide, which seems like a pretty big deal.