This work presents three processes for the surface nitriding of commercial pure titanium by means of a pulsed Nd-YAG laser: gas nitriding, melting of pre-deposited TiN powder and nitriding by reaction between titanium, nitrogen gas and TiN powder. Depending on the laser nitriding process, X-ray diffraction analyses always indicate formation of two phases, i.e. either (TiN, TiN 0.3 ) or (Ti, TiN). In the laser-melted zones, metallurgical analyses by optical and scanning electron microscopies reveal dendritic microstructures. The thickness of the nitrided coatings was in the range of 30–250 μm, depending on the nitriding process and the laser irradiation parameters. The in-depth microhardness of the nitrided zones varied between 550 and 1700 Vickers. The tribological behaviour of the laser-nitrided titanium surfaces has been investigated in room air by means of a pin-on-disk system.