A cave diver at the exit of an underwater cave

Photo by Mikhail Vedyokhin · CC BY-SA 2.5

CaveIANTD

Cave Diver

Official course standards ↗Last updated September 7, 2026

This foundational full-cave certification qualifies divers with either Introductory Cave Diver certification (via modular route with 50+ dives) or those with Open Water Diver only (via direct route with 100+ dives) to conduct independent cave dives in unrestricted passages, teaching comprehensive cave navigation, team procedures, and emergency protocols in overhead environments with no direct access to the surface. You'll master guideline protocols, silt management, stage deployment, and self-rescue techniques specific to full-cave penetrations. Cave Diver certification opens access to world-class cave systems globally and is the foundation for all advanced cave specializations.

Centres that teach this course

11 dive centres in the directory publish a price for this exact certification, checked Sep 2026. Each centre's own wording is shown beneath its name. Ranges cover whole-course prices only — where a centre charges per day or per dive, its rate is listed separately below, since a daily figure is not comparable with a course total.

$1,000 – $1,200across 2 centres pricing in US Dollar

Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:

THB 49,000 – THB 55,000across 4 centres pricing in Thai Bahtfrom ≈ $1,462
One centre publishes a price in Euro.

Same training under a different agency

15 centres

A separate set of centres, teaching Full Cave under a different agency. These are not the same certification — the standards and the card differ — but they cover the same depth and scope, which is why centres price them alike. Every row here names whose rating it is, and none of them is counted above.

$1,050 – $1,800across 4 centres pricing in US Dollar

Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:

  • Protec MexicoMexico
    Full CavePSAI
    1 student$420/day→ $1,680 for the 4-day minimum
    2+ students$370/day→ $1,480 for the 4-day minimum each
    $420
    per day
  • Cave AdventurersUnited States
    Full CaveTDI
    Private class$450/day→ $900 for the 2-day minimum
    Group class$350/day→ $700 for the 2-day minimum each
    $450
    per day
  • Under The JungleMexico
    Full CaveTDI
    private$345/day→ $1,725 for the 5-day minimum
    per diver in a group$295/day→ $1,475 for the 5-day minimum each
    $345
    per day
  • CDT Mexico (Cave Diving Training)Mexico
    Full CaveTDI
    1 student$300/day→ $1,200 for the 4-day minimum
    $300
    per day
  • Go Dive MexicoMexico
    Full caveTDI
    private$330/day→ $1,650 for the 5-day minimum
    2+ divers$300/day→ $1,500 for the 5-day minimum each
    $330
    per day
  • Cave Diving AdventuresMexico
    Full CaveTDI
    $350/day
    $350
    per day
  • Green Divers TulumMexico
    TDI Full Cave DiverTDI
    per person$235/day
    $235
    per day
One centre publishes a price in Euro.

Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:

One centre publishes a price in Thai Baht.
One centre publishes a price in Mexican Peso.

Same tier, agency not stated

4 centres

These centres publish a price for Full Cave, but their own wording does not say which agency's certification it buys — many teach several and name the card only once you enquire, and some price one course for either agency. The figure is comparable; the certification is not identified, so we do not guess at one.

One centre publishes a price in US Dollar.

Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:

  • Darkside DiversMexico
    Full Cave Diver
    $280/day→ $1,120 for the 4-day minimum
    $280
    per day
THB 45,000 – THB 60,000across 2 centres pricing in Thai Bahtfrom ≈ $1,342

These prices are not like-for-like. Two centres can charge very differently for the same certification because they include different things. One price may cover twinsets, stages, deco gas and cylinder rental for every training dive, a dedicated classroom for the theory, boat or transport to the site, and the agency's registration and materials; another may be tuition only, with all of that charged separately — or the other way round, with a centre bundling in extras the first leaves out. Class size, whether the course is one-to-one, and how many days are allowed for it move the figure too. Check what each centre's price includes before comparing them, and confirm with the centre before booking.

Consumables are usually extra. Sorb, helium, O₂ and other fills, park and cenote fees, certification fees and rental are commonly charged on top.

Packages combining several certifications, upgrades from an existing one, and open-ended day rates are excluded — none of them is the standalone price of this course, and including them would move the figures away from what a new student can actually book.

Prerequisites

Either: (Route 1) IANTD Introductory Cave Diver + minimum 50 logged dives, OR (Route 2) IANTD Open Water Diver + minimum 100 logged dives. Minimum 18 years old. Maximum training depth 150 fsw (45 msw).

Instructors Teaching This Course

Dive Centres Offering This Course

We're still building out the directory country by country, so this list isn't every instructor or dive centre teaching it in the world — more locations are coming soon.

Common questions about IANTD Cave Diver

How much does IANTD Cave Diver cost?

Published prices for IANTD Cave Diver range across 7 centres in the TecDiveTools directory — roughly US$1,000 to US$1,650 at current exchange rates. In each centre's own currency: THB 49,000–55,000 (4 centres), $1,000–$1,200 (2 centres) and €1,250 (1 centre). 4 centres charge by the day instead, which is not comparable with a course total. Prices differ mainly in what they include, so compare the inclusions before comparing the numbers. Prices were last checked in September 2026.

How long does IANTD Cave Diver take?

Between 4 and 8 days, based on the durations 8 centres publish for it. The time depends on the centre's schedule, weather, and how quickly the required skills are demonstrated — agencies set a minimum number of dives, not a fixed number of days.

What are the prerequisites for IANTD Cave Diver?

IANTD's standards require: Either: (Route 1) IANTD Introductory Cave Diver + minimum 50 logged dives, OR (Route 2) IANTD Open Water Diver + minimum 100 logged dives. Minimum 18 years old. Maximum training depth 150 fsw (45 msw).

What is the minimum age for IANTD Cave Diver?

IANTD's standards state: Minimum 18 years old.

What is the equivalent of IANTD Cave Diver in other agencies?

At the same tier in TecDiveTools' cross-agency comparison: NSS-CDS Advanced Cave Diver, RAID Cave 2, NSS-CDS Cave Diver, TDI Full Cave, ANDI Full Cave, PSAI Full Cave Diver and SSI XR Full Cave Diving. They cover comparable training, but each agency sets its own standards, depth limits and certification card, so they are comparable rather than interchangeable — check which one your next course accepts.

NSS-CDS Advanced Cave DiverRAID Cave 2NSS-CDS Cave DiverTDI Full CaveANDI Full CavePSAI Full Cave DiverSSI XR Full Cave Diving

What course comes after IANTD Cave Diver?

After IANTD Cave Diver, divers usually go on to specialise. IANTD's next courses include IANTD Adv. Cave - DPV Diver, IANTD Adv. Cave - Sidemount Diver, IANTD Adv. Cave - Stage/Multi-Stage Diver, IANTD Adv. Cave - Survey Diver and IANTD Technical Cave Diver.

IANTD Adv. Cave - DPV DiverIANTD Adv. Cave - Sidemount DiverIANTD Adv. Cave - Stage/Multi-Stage DiverIANTD Adv. Cave - Survey DiverIANTD Technical Cave Diver

Where can I take IANTD Cave Diver?

45 dive centres and 65 instructors in the TecDiveTools directory teach IANTD Cave Diver, in Mexico, the United States, Thailand and Indonesia. Each is listed further up this page.

Does the price of IANTD Cave Diver include gas and equipment?

Not always — it varies by centre. Certification fees, equipment rental and boat or site fees are commonly charged on top of the course price. Each centre's price list on TecDiveTools shows what it notes as included.

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