Training agency
International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers
A technical diving agency formed in 1985 and based in Lake City, Florida, which pairs each of its overhead courses as cave or mine options, on open circuit and rebreather.
IANTD says it was formed in 1985, originally as the International Association of Nitrox Divers (IAND), and lists its headquarters in Lake City, Florida [1]. It trains across sport, technical, rebreather and overhead diving, and its overhead category includes cave/mine, wreck and ice programmes [1].
IANTD's cave courses are offered as paired cave or mine certifications. The open-circuit ladder published on its site runs from Cavern Diver / Limited Mine Diver (with a junior version for ages 12 to 14) through Introductory Cave or Mine Diver to Cave Diver and Mine Diver, with Tek Lite, Technical and Elite technical cave and mine levels beyond [2][3][4]. A parallel set of rebreather (RCCR and CCR) cavern, intro cave, cave and technical cave programmes exists [5]. IANTD's public course pages give prerequisites and maximum depths but do not state penetration distances or gas rules.
4 courses
Cave-related courses
As published on the organisation's own course or standards pages; the official page is the authority. Similar names elsewhere are not automatically equivalent.
| Course | Prerequisites | Scope and published limits |
|---|---|---|
| IANTD Cavern Diver / Limited Mine Diver ↗Cavern · min. age 15 · checked 2026-10-14 | Age 18, or 15 with parent or guardian authorisation; IANTD Advanced Open Water Diver or equivalent; proof of at least 10 logged dives. A Junior Cavern / Junior Limited Mine Diver version exists for ages 12 to 14, diving under direct supervision of a certified Cavern / Limited Mine Diver or higher. | Develops cavern and limited mine diving skills within the zone of natural light, with emphasis on self-responsibility, team positioning and overhead risk management. Academic, confined water, land drill and cavern dive sessions. Single cylinder with dual-outlet valve, manifolded doubles or sidemount.As published: maximum depth equal to the diver's previous certification level; training within the zone of natural light penetration. The public page states no penetration distance, gas rule or dive count. |
| IANTD CCR Cave Diver ↗Rebreather (CCR) cave · min. age 18 · checked 2026-10-14 | Minimum age 18. IANTD RCCR Introductory Cave Diver (or equivalent or higher) with at least 50 logged rebreather dives; or, without introductory cave certification, IANTD CCR Advanced EANx Diver (or equivalent or higher) with at least 100 logged rebreather dives. An IANTD-approved rebreather is required. | Cave penetration on a closed-circuit rebreather beyond the main line: complex navigation, gas management for overhead rebreather diving, lost-line and lost-diver procedures, and nitrox and oxygen for decompression bailout. Equipment includes one bailout and two decompression cylinders.As published: maximum depth 40 m. Penetration and bailout rules are not stated on the public page beyond the equipment list. |
| IANTD Cave Diver and Mine Diver ↗Full cave · min. age 18 · checked 2026-10-14 | Minimum age 18. Either IANTD Introductory Cave / Introductory Mine Diver (or equivalent) with at least 50 logged dives, or IANTD Open Water Diver (or equivalent) with at least 100 logged dives. | Trains divers in the practices, procedures and techniques of cave and mine diving through academic, land drill, confined water and cave or mine dive sessions. Manifolded doubles or sidemount.As published: maximum depth 45 m. Penetration, gas, navigation and decompression limits are not stated on the public page. |
| IANTD Introductory Cave or Mine Diver ↗Intro cave · min. age 15 · checked 2026-10-14 | Age 18, or 15 with parent or guardian authorisation; the page lists IANTD Wreck Diver, IANTD Cavern Diver and IANTD Limited Mine Diver as certification prerequisites; proof of at least 30 logged dives. | An introduction to cave and mine environments for sport divers, with academic, land drill, confined water and open water sessions. Single cylinder with dual-outlet valve, manifolded doubles or sidemount; reels, lights, cave markers and cutting tools.As published: maximum depth 40 m. No penetration, gas or navigation limits are stated on the public page. |
7
Providers stating this affiliation
| Provider | Where | How we know |
|---|---|---|
| Bahamas Underground | Marsh Harbour, Great Abaco Island | Provider's own website |
| The Cave To Be | Gramat | Provider's own website |
| MJ Cave – Molnár János Cave Dive Center | Frankel Leó u. 48, Budapest | Provider's own website |
| ProTec Sardinia | Cala Gonone (Dorgali) | Provider's own website |
| Underworld Tulum | Tulum | Provider's own website |
| Cave Adventurers | Marianna | Provider's own website |
| Dive Outpost | Live Oak (near Luraville) | Provider's own website |
Further reading
Cavern and cave diving: what is the difference
How to choose a cave instructor or training provider
Specialist areas: sidemount, rebreathers, scooters, surveying and scientific diving
Every fact on this page, with its source (4)
| Fact | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|
| IANTD says it was formed in 1985, originally under the name International Association of Nitrox Divers. | Verified | [1] |
| IANTD lists its headquarters in Lake City, Florida, United States. | Verified | [1] |
| IANTD's open-circuit overhead ladder includes Cavern Diver / Limited Mine Diver, Introductory Cave or Mine Diver, and Cave Diver and Mine Diver, with Tek Lite, Technical and Elite levels beyond.The pages list related programmes but do not set out a single formal progression chart. | Verified | [2] [3] [4] |
| IANTD publishes separate rebreather cavern, intro cave and cave programmes. | Verified | [5] |
Verified: stated by an official or primary source we opened. Reported: from a secondary source only. Sources conflict: the note gives both versions. May be out of date: the newest source we found is old.
Written in our own words from the sources above. Report a correction