This paper reports on the luminescence properties of Dy 3+ -doped 30SrO–30MgO–40P 2 O 5 , which had been prepared by solid state reaction. The crystalline phases were identified using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and their luminescence properties were studied using excitation and emission spectra obtained from photoluminescence spectroscopy. The results of XRD patterns indicate that the prepared sample contain crystalline phase of MgP 2 O 6 and SrMgP 2 O 7 . The excitation spectrum of 30SrO–30MgO–40P 2 O 5 :Dy 3+ consists of broad bands’ centre at ∼280, 310 and 400–600nm associated with defects and vacancies of host material. The other feature of sharp peaks is very similar and belongs to Dy 3+ ions. The f–f transitions in the range of 417–475nm correspond to the transitions from 6 H 15/2 to 4 K 17/2 + 4 M 19/2,21/2 + 4 I 13/2 + 4 F 7/2 , 4 G 11/2 , 4 I 15/2 and 4 F 9/2, in the range of 392nm to 6 P 3/2 + 6 P 5/2 , and in the range of 312–370nm to 4 K 15/2 , 6 P 7/2 + 4 M 15/2 and 4 I 11/2 , respectively. The peaks at 482, 465, and 455nm could be assigned to the transition of 4 F 9/2 → 6 H 15/2 , 4 I 15/2 → 6 H 15/2 and 4 G 11/2 → 6 H 15/2 of Dy 3+ , respectively. Dy 3+ has emissions due to the atomic energy levels of itself and emissions due to the acceptor levels of defect sites formed by Dy 3+ .