A technical diver handling decompression stage cylinders during a dive

Photo by Teemu Virtanen · CC BY-SA 3.0

OC Tech (40m)PADI TecRec

Tec 40

Official course standards ↗Last updated September 7, 2026

Take your first leap into technical diving with this entry-level course that introduces decompression diving, double-tank configurations, and professional technical equipment setups. You'll learn decompression theory, staged-ascent procedures, double-tank manifold configuration, and gas management for dives requiring mandatory stops. Tec 40 is the gateway to the PADI TecRec pathway and mastering it opens progression to Tec 45, Tec 50, and advanced technical specialties.

Centres that teach this course

13 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.

€450 – €520across 5 centres pricing in Eurofrom ≈ $505

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

THB 24,000 – THB 24,900across 3 centres pricing in Thai Bahtfrom ≈ $716
One centre publishes a price in US Dollar.

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

One centre publishes a price in Mexican Peso.
One centre publishes a price in Philippine Peso.
  • Tech AsiaPhilippines
    PADI Tec 40
    ₱32,950
    total

Same training under a different agency

31 centres

A separate set of centres, teaching Advanced Nitrox 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.

€400 – €680across 12 centres pricing in Eurofrom ≈ $449

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

$600 – $990across 5 centres pricing in US Dollar

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

  • Cave AdventurersUnited States
    Advanced NitroxTDI
    Private class$450/day→ $900 for the 2-day minimum
    Group class$350/day→ $700 for the 2-day minimum each
    $450
    per day
  • Protec MexicoMexico
    Advanced NitroxPSAI
    1 student$440/day→ $2,200 for the 5-day minimum
    2+ students$390/day→ $1,950 for the 5-day minimum each
    $440
    per day
  • CDT Mexico (Cave Diving Training)Mexico
    Advanced NitroxTDI
    1 student$300/day→ $900 for the 3-day minimum
    $300
    per day
  • Divers UnderGroundMexico
    TDI Advanced NitroxTDI
    $325/day
    $325
    per day
  • Under The JungleMexico
    Advanced NitroxTDI
    private$345/day→ $1,035 for the 3-day minimum
    per diver in a group$295/day→ $885 for the 3-day minimum each
    $345
    per day
IDR 7,500,000 – IDR 15,000,000across 6 centres pricing in Indonesian Rupiahfrom ≈ $418

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

  • Air Dive AlorIndonesia
    Advanced NitroxTDI
    1 student, privateIDR 3,200,000/day→ IDR 6,400,000 for the 2-day minimum
    3 studentsIDR 2,400,000/day→ IDR 4,800,000 for the 2-day minimum each
    IDR 3,200,000
    per day
THB 8,900 – THB 25,000across 4 centres pricing in Thai Bahtfrom ≈ $265
One centre publishes a price in Philippine Peso.
  • Tech AsiaPhilippines
    TDI Advanced NitroxTDI
    ₱28,450
    total

Same tier, agency not stated

6 centres

These centres publish a price for Advanced Nitrox, 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.

THB 29,000 – THB 30,000across 2 centres pricing in Thai Bahtfrom ≈ $865
$600 – $900across 2 centres pricing in US Dollar
One centre publishes a price in Indonesian Rupiah.
One centre publishes a price in Euro.

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

PADI Advanced Open Water Diver, PADI Enriched Air Diver, PADI Deep Diver (or proof of at least 10 dives to 30m/100ft), minimum 30 logged dives, at least 18 years old. PADI Rescue Diver certification recommended but not required for entry.

Standards

What a diver must demonstrate to pass this course — not always published by the certifying agency.

Successful planning and execution of limited decompression dives to 40m/130ft with mandatory staged stops, proper double-tank manifold setup and rigging, use of up to 50% oxygen as decompression gas, emergency procedures, and teamwork in technical environments.

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 PADI TecRec Tec 40

How much does PADI TecRec Tec 40 cost?

Published prices for PADI TecRec Tec 40 range across 11 centres in the TecDiveTools directory — roughly US$500 to US$800 at current exchange rates. In each centre's own currency: €450–€520 (5 centres), THB 24,000–24,900 (3 centres), MX$12,000 (1 centre), $800 (1 centre) and ₱32,950 (1 centre). 1 centre charges 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 PADI TecRec Tec 40 take?

Between 2 and 4 days, based on the durations 10 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 PADI TecRec Tec 40?

PADI TecRec's standards require: PADI Advanced Open Water Diver, PADI Enriched Air Diver, PADI Deep Diver (or proof of at least 10 dives to 30m/100ft), minimum 30 logged dives, at least 18 years old. PADI Rescue Diver certification recommended but not required for entry.

What is the minimum age for PADI TecRec Tec 40?

PADI TecRec's standards state: At least 18 years old.

How many dives do I need before starting PADI TecRec Tec 40?

PADI TecRec's standards state: PADI Deep Diver (or proof of at least 10 dives to 30m/100ft).

What does PADI TecRec Tec 40 training involve?

According to PADI TecRec's published standards: Successful planning and execution of limited decompression dives to 40m/130ft with mandatory staged stops, proper double-tank manifold setup and rigging, use of up to 50% oxygen as decompression gas, emergency procedures, and teamwork in technical environments.

What is the equivalent of PADI TecRec Tec 40 in other agencies?

At the same tier in TecDiveTools' cross-agency comparison: PSAI Advanced Nitrox, TDI Advanced Nitrox, RAID Decompression and SSI XR Extended Range Nitrox 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.

PSAI Advanced NitroxTDI Advanced NitroxRAID DecompressionSSI XR Extended Range Nitrox Diving

What course comes after PADI TecRec Tec 40?

The next step in PADI TecRec's progression is PADI TecRec Tec 45.

PADI TecRec Tec 45

Where can I take PADI TecRec Tec 40?

4 dive centres and 4 instructors in the TecDiveTools directory teach PADI TecRec Tec 40, in Indonesia and Thailand. Each is listed further up this page.

Does the price of PADI TecRec Tec 40 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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