A clone of the gene encoding chicken ribosomal protein L30 was isolated and its nucleotide sequence determined. The clone contains 3260 nucleotides of the gene which consists of five exons and four introns. Transcription of the gene initiates at the fourth residue C in a tract of 9 pyrimidines flanked by G+C-rich sequences. The 5'-flanking region of the gene lacks canonical TATA box but has a sequence ATA at position -28 to -26 embedded in G+C-rich stretch. No similarity was detected when the 5'-flanking region was compared with that of the homologous gene of mouse. Nevertheless, the region contains a consensus sequence for protein binding common to other vertebrate ribosomal protein gene promoters. It may be that chicken L30 gene utilizes a set of transcriptional regulatory factors different from that of mouse L30 gene.