Proteases fulfill multiple roles in health and disease, and considerable interest has been expressed in the design and development of synthetic inhibitors of disease-related proteases. Virus-encoded proteases have been shown to be involved in the replication of many viruses. The success of anti-HIV-1 therapy using specific and potent protease inhibitors suggests that viral proteases can be the valid molecular targets for the development of antiviral drugs against other viruses. Intensive genetic and biochemical studies have been conducted on viral proteases and new insights and results are rapidly emerging. This work reviews features of viral proteases with respective to the development of effective antiviral therapy.