The photostability of hindered amine light stabilizer (HALS) and ultraviolet absorber (UVA) on the blends of plasticized poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC) and powder nitrile rubber (NBR) has been studied with a Xenon Test Chamber. The digital photos, color differences, attenuated total refection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectra and mechanical properties of the blends have been determined. HALS combined with UVA effectively protects PVC/NBR blends from yellowing and restrains the decrease of elongation at break of the blends. The synergistic phenomenon is ascribed to the different photostable mechanisms of HALS and UVA at different photo aging stages. The color of PVC/NBR control sample quickly changes into yellow at the first 400 h of irradiation, due to the polyenes structures that induced by the double bonds of butadiene in NBR. From 400 to 800 h, crosslinking dominates and the amount of polyenes decreases, resulting into the decrease of color change. At the early stage of irradiation, chain-scission of polymer takes the predominant place, and the tensile strength decreases. But during the latter stage, crosslinking takes the predominant place and the tensile strength increases slightly. HALS and UVA have a little effect on the maintaining of elongation at break of PVC/NBR blends. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2013. (c) 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers