This paper describes the influences of active metal, promoter and chelating agent on the properties of hydro-desulfuri-zationcatalyst. The use of chelating agent, especially its combination with common promoters e.g., EDTA-P, has an important meaning to develop highly active catalyst, specifically to unify the active metal dispersion degree and sulfurization degree in some extent, however, they are contradictory in conventional cognition. In the aspect of carriers, composition and nanometer carriers have more excellent performances in acidity, pores structureand metal-carrier interaction than common carriers, and are the developing trend in the future and should be a breakthrough mainly in preparation methods. We also pointed out the decisive factors to improve the activity of the catalyst: higher sulfurization degree of active metal oxide and higher aspect ratios of active phase crystal morphology, and the proper acidity and pores structure can be considered the key factors for deep desulfurization whose mainly obstacle is the desulfurization of large rigid molecules, e.g., dibenzothiophene and 4, 6-dimethyl substituted dibenzothiophene. Based on above that, We discussed the suitable hydrodesulfurization (HDS) catalyst for coal tar, aiming at providing some theoretical guidance for the “design” of coal tar HDS catalyst.