A dive shop sells guided fun dives, try dives and beginner courses to tourists and local divers, with rental gear and air fills. Most start as a small shop in a dive town such as Moalboal or Mactan, run by a certified instructor who hires boats per trip. The money is made on full boats, courses and packages, and gear kept in safe working order.

This guide walks through what it takes to start a dive shop in the Philippines: the capital, the monthly costs, the permits and the first 90 days. The peso figures are sample estimates for a small dive shop, boats hired in Cebu as of October 2026; get your own quotes before you decide.

How much capital you need

The sample comes to about ₱1,694,500 including one month of fixed costs kept as a cash buffer. It splits into diving gear (₱756,600), compressor and fills (₱600,000), shop and safety (₱130,000), permits and deposits (₱90,000), launch (₱27,000) and working capital (₱90,900). Other ways to start: freelance instructor at ₱150,000–₱300,000 and dive resort with own boat and rooms at ₱8 million and up.

Monthly costs and break-even

Fixed costs in the sample are ₱90,900 a month; the biggest are rent (₱25,000), divemaster (₱18,000) and shop and fill helper (₱15,600). Each dive sold earns about ₱949 after its own costs, so the break-even is 3.5 dives a day, and the startup capital takes about 18 months to come back at full sales.

Permits and registration

Register the business name with DTI (or SEC or CDA), then get the barangay business clearance, the Mayor's permit through the city or municipal BPLO, and BIR registration; register with SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG once you hire. A dive shop also needs: dive establishment accreditation, dive site and marine sanctuary fees and papers of every boat you hire. Requirements and fees differ by city, so ask each office for its checklist first. DTI Negosyo Centers help for free.

Where to set up

  • A dive town with known sites close to shore
  • On the beach road where divers walk past
  • Near resorts and guesthouses without their own dive shop
  • Close to the boat landing, to save time and fuel

Mistakes to avoid

  • A diving accident. Certified staff, briefings, buddy checks, an oxygen kit on every trip, and an emergency plan with the nearest chamber's number.
  • Rental gear fails underwater. Service regulators on schedule, test-breathe every set before use, and retire worn gear.
  • Tanks past their test dates. Log each tank's last hydro test and visual inspection, and take overdue tanks out of use.
  • Bad weather cancels trips. Have a sheltered backup site and shore dives, and keep the cash buffer for slow weeks.

Plan it with the starter kit

The Dive Shop & Dive Trips · Negosyo Starter Kit has every worksheet behind this guide in a 26-page PDF, plus an Excel calculator: type in your own quotes and it works out your capital, break-even, profit and payback month. It costs ₱349 and downloads right after payment.