Nonmelanoma skin cancer mortality rates for recent decades show a biphasic pattern: from 1950-65 rates decreased; from 1966-86 rates increased. Age standardised mortality rates for 35-74 year old males increased from 1.6 (95% CI, 1.3-1.9) deaths per 100,000 person years in 1966-72 to 2.3 (95% CI, 2.0-2.5) deaths per 100,000 person years in 1980-86. Rates in women were lower but showed a similar percentage increase (46%), between these periods, to that observed for men (44%). The increased mortality from 1966 was presumably a result of increased ultraviolet exposure.