This paper studied the removal of phenol red from aqueous solution using cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide modified laterite (CTAB). The Brunauer - Emmett - Teller (BET) method and the total organic carbon (TOC) measurement method were used for determining the characteristics of laterite before and after modifying by CTAB. The isoelectric point of these materials was also determined. The influence of some factors such as: pH, material mass, contact time, ionic strength, temperature, initial concentration of phenol red was investigated. The adsorption isotherms of phenol red onto the material were in accordance with Langmuir and Freundlich models while the adsorption kinetics were in good agreement with a pseudo-second order model. Adsorption thermodynamic of phenol red onto CTAB modified laterite was an exothermal proces