Consolidation and your A licence: becoming a skydiver
After AFF or the Category System comes consolidation, a canopy exam and your British Skydiving A Licence, the first licence that lets you jump on your own.
In this guide
- What it is: The first British Skydiving licence. It qualifies you to jump independently.
- What you need first: AFF levels 1 to 8 or the Category System to Category 8.
- What you'll learn: Stable freefall, controlled deployment and safe landings, plus the canopy theory in the Canopy Training written exam.
- How long it takes: At least 10 consolidation jumps after AFF. British Skydiving says many people apply for an A Licence in around 18 jumps.
- Cost: Included in the typical AFF price below. British Skydiving membership is extra.
- What's next: The B licence
This is the moment it gets real. Consolidation jumps turn what you learned on your course into habits, and every one of them makes you a sharper, calmer skydiver.
What you have to do
- Finish AFF or the Category System.
- After AFF, make at least 10 consolidation jumps.
- Pass the Canopy Training written exam.
What it opens up
With an A Licence you can take part in solo and group jumps and start your first discipline sticker, such as FS1 or CT1. See disciplines and grades.
Source: Training & Progression, Accelerated Free Fall, My First Jump and the Operations Manual (September 2026), British Skydiving, checked October 2026.
Governing body: British Skydiving. It sets the UK safety standards and training awards for skydiving, so it's the official place to find out more.
Typical prices, checked October 2026. The club or coach sets and bills the price.
The club map lists some of the UK clubs for this sport. It is a starting point, so check with the club before you travel. To have a coach found for you, use the enquiry form.
