Optical properties of the tobacco leaves were determined. Surface colors and reflectance characteristics of the flue-cured variety and the Burley variety with thin and thick leaves were measured. Color was measured by CIE colorimeter and reflectance was measured with a laboratory built reflectance meter utilizing optical bandpass filters whose center wavelengths are from 400 to 700 nm at intervals of 50 nm. The resulting data indicated that the measured color and reflectance would be useful in inspecting tobacco. However no single optical data could be used to successfully grade tobacco leaves.