Voltage-gated sodium channel genes are associated with idiopathic generalized epilepsy. Our group preciously identified a suggestive new locus on chromosome 11q22.1–23.3 in a five-generational Chinese epileptic family with generalized tonic–clonic seizure. SCN2B, SCN3B and SCN4B, which located at 11q22.1–23.3 locus, were chosen as candidate genes for this family. In the present study, genomic DNA was extracted in six affected family members. All exons of SCN2B, SCN3B and SCN4B were sequenced using direct DNA sequence analysis. The results showed that no mutation or polymorphism of coding regions of SCN2B, SCN3B and SCN4B was detected in the tested family members. Therefore, SCN2B, SCN3B and SCN4B are not major susceptibility genes contributed to our large family.