The diver uses decompression tables or dive computers to find, for his planned dive profile and breathing gas, if decompression stops are needed, and if so, the depths and durations of the stops. A "no stop" dive is a dive that needs no decompression stops during the ascent.

Shorter and shallower decompression dives may only need one single short shallow decompression stop, for example 5 minutes at 3 metres (10 ft). Longer and deeper dives often need a series of decompression stops, each stop being longer but shallower than the previous stop. As a precaution against any unnoticed dive computer malfunction, diver error or physiological predisposition to decompression sickness, many divers do an extra "safety stop" in addition to those ordered by their dive computer or tables. A safety stop is typically 1 to 5 minutes at 3 to 6 metres (10 to 20 ft). They are even done during no-stop dives.

In addition to stops, the diver must not exceed a safe ascent rate during the whole of the ascent from depth. Normally the time to ascend the shallowest 20 feet (6 metres) to the surface will take at least 1 minute. Typically with tables, the maximum ascent rate is 30 feet (10 metres) per minute when deeper than 20 feet (6 metres). Some dive computers have variable maximum ascent rates, depending on depth.