4-(2-Thiazolylazo)-6-chlororesorcinol (TAR-Cl) reacts sensitively with uranyl(II) and lanthanoids(III), and forms reddish-brown 1:1 and 1:2 complexes. The complexing behaviors were examined spectrophotometrically. The absorption maxima of the complexes are focused near 553 nm and the optimum pH for complexation lies between 6.5–8.8. Beer's law holds up to about 2 × 10−5mol 1−1, with a molar absorptivity of 3.00 × 1041 mol−1cm−1for uranium and 6 × 1041 mol−1cm−1level for each lanthanoid. The absorptivities are increased with the atomic number, especially in light lanthanoids, that are correlative both to the lanthanoid contraction and the basicity of ortho hydroxyl group in the resorcinol ring, but such effects are not clearly recognized in heavy lanthanoids. Effect of masking agents was also examined, and uranium could be determined selectively in the presence of lanthanoid mixtures by the addition of CyDTA.