Currently the characteristics of clear ocean areas aerosol can be obtained by the MODIS aerosol retrieval algorithm but the result of brighter coastal waters is not satisfactory. It is because the turbid waters are not dark target for the two aerosol retrieval channels centered near 0.553 μm, 0.646 μm, and they are not always dark target for the channel centered near 0.86 μm. An aerosol retrieval algorithm for remote sensing of aerosol properties over turbid coastal water is described. In this algorithm, channels centered near 0.86 μm, 1.24 μm, 1.64 μm and 2.13 μm are used, and the reflectance of 0.86 μm is corrected under certain circumstances. The proposed algorithm is applicable for MODIS data observed over turbid coastal water in the Southeast of China. The retrieval results agree quite well with the measurements obtained with sun photometers.