This paper presents a scheme for designing a fuzzy model-bsaed state observer for nonlinear system. For this scheme, a Tagaki-Sugeno type fuzzy model whose consequent part is of the state space form is obtained. In describes the locally linear input/output relationship of a system. The parameters of the fuzzy model are adjusted using a genetic algorithm. Then. fuzzy full-order and reduced-order state observers are designed based on the fuzzy model. A set of simulation works is carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.