The photoluminescence properties of Bi3+-doped Sr5(PO4)3Cl nanocrystals with rod-like structures prepared by a simple precipitation method were investigated. The obtained nanorods had diameters of 10–20 nm and lengths of 50–200 nm observed by transmission electron micrograph (TEM). The photoluminescence spectra revealed that a strong blue emission band centered at 416 nm excited by 385 nm was ascribed to 3P1–1S0 transition in Bi3+ ions. The optimum dopant concentration for Bi3+ ions was 1.5 mol % , which could be attributed to energy migration to quenching centers.