Increasingly stringent regulations in many countries require effective reduction and control of NOx emissions. To meet these limits, various methods have been exploited, among which the selective catalytic reduction of NOx using ammonia as the reductant(NH3-SCR) is the most favored technology. High catalytic activity, N2 selectivity and resistance to deactivation by sulfur, alkaline metals and hydrothermal conditions are the optimal properties of a successful SCR catalyst. Rare earth oxides, particularly CeO2, have been increasingly used to improve the catalytic activity and resistance to deactivation of deNOx catalysts, both modifying traditional vanadium catalysts, and also developing novel catalysts, especially for low temperature applications. This review summarized the open literature concerning recent research and development progresses in the application of rare earths for NH3-SCR of NOx. Additionally, the roles of rare earths in enhancing the performance of NH3-SCR catalyst were reviewed. Increasingly stringent regulations in many countries require effective reduction and control of NOx emissions. Among these measures, many of them have been exploited, among which the selective catalytic reduction of NOx using ammonia as the reductant (NH3-SCR) is the most favored technology. High catalytic activity, N2 selectivity and resistance to deactivation by sulfur, alkaline metals and hydrothermal conditions are the optimal properties of a successful SCR catalyst. Rare earth oxides, particularly CeO2, have been increasingly used to improve the catalytic activity and resistance to deactivation of deNOx catalysts, both also developing novel catalysts, especially for low temperature applications. This review summarizes the open literature of recent research and development progresses in the application of rare earths for NH3-SCR of NOx. rare earths in enhancing the performance of NH3-SCR catalyst wer e reviewed.