NiO supported on zirconia modified with $MoO_3$ for acid catalysis was prepared by drying powdered $Ni(OH)_2-Zr(OH)_4$ with ammonium heptamolybdate aqueous solution, followed by calcining in air at high temperature. The characterization of prepared catalysts was performed using FTIR, Raman, XRD, and DSC. $MoO_3$ equal to or less than 15 wt% was dispersed on the surface of catalyst as two-dimensional polymolybdate or monomolybdate, while for $MoO_3$ above 15 wt%, crystalline orthorhombic phase of $MoO_3$ was formed, showing that the critical dispersion capacity of $MoO_3$ on the surface of catalyst is 0.18 g/g NiO-$ZrO_2$ on the basis of XRD analysis. Acidity and catalytic activities for acid catalysis increased with the amount of dispersed $MoO_3$. The high acid strength and acidity was responsible for the Mo=O bond nature of the complex formed by the interaction between $MoO_3$ and $ZrO_2$. The catalytic activity for acid catalysis was correlated with the acidity of the catalysts measured by the ammonia chemisorption method.