Using La2O3, Dy2O3, NH4VO3, HNO3 as materials, solvothermal synthesis method was adopted to prepare LaVO4∶Dy3+ nanorods through adjusting the pH values of ethanol-water mixing solution.The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope, infrared spectrum, UV-Vis absorption spectra and fluorescence spectra. The results show that the phase transition from m- to t -LaVO4 :Dy3+ can be found when the pH value changes from 2 to 4. With the increase of the pH value of the mixing solution, the grain size of the sample becomes smaller and the shape of LaVO4∶Dy3+ crystal changes from irregular nanoparticle to one dimension nanorod. Besides, the band gap of the sample decrease from 3.68 (pH 2) to 3.43 eV(pH 10). It is found from FL that the excitation spectra of LaVO4∶Dy3+ nanorods have a little red shift in comparison with irregular nanoparticle. Furthermore, the LaVO4∶Dy3+ nanorod exhibits the strongest yellow emission (4F9/2—6H13/2)and blue emission(4F9/2—6H15/2), and it possesses the largest Y/B value (1.039).