Direct fluorescence polarization immunoassay of serum cortisol was established. Non-specific binding of fluorescent-labelled cortisol to serum proteins was successively eliminated by sodium dodecyl sulfate. The minimal amount of cortisol detected was 0.1 ng/tube and serum concentration of 1.0 microgram/dl to 100 microgram/dl of cortisol could be measured. This fluorescence polarization immunoassay satisfied the standard criteria of accuracy and precision. The values correlated well with those obtained by radioimmunoassay.