In order to solve the problem that the conventional nearfield location algorithm needs threedimensional search and large amount of computation, an ESPRIT algorithm based on the higherorder cumulant for single vector hydrophone near field source localization is proposed in this paper. By defining a series of fourorder cumulant matrices, the multiple invariance matrices are obtained, and then the localization information of the nearfield sources can be extracted from these invariance matrices. The closedform solution of the azimuth, elevation and distance of the target can be obtained by using the proposed method. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is verified by the simulation.