A novel catalyst for hydrogen production from the catalytic process of methanol steam reforming could play an important role in hydrogen production to be used as a feed for fuel cell. Our study focuses on the preparation of copper supported on calcined hydrotalcite catalysts using the memory effect of zinc-aluminum hydrotalcite. Zinc-aluminum was calcined at 400 degrees C and dipped in a copper nitrate aqueous solution. The steam reforming of methanol was studied in a fixed-bed reactor under mild conditions and a reaction temperature range of 200-350 degrees C. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, SEM, TPR, chemisorption N2O, TG/DTA, IR and N-2 adsorption techniques in order to identify their physical and chemical properties. The results evince the regeneration and the reconstruction of the layered structure that have a positive influence on the interactions between support and copper species. After activation by calcination at 500 degrees C, the solids copper/zinc-aluminum (Cu/Zn-Al 400 500) showed an interesting mixed oxides and were tested in the reaction of methanol steam reforming. The 10% Cu/Zn-Al 400 500 exhibits the best catalytic activity about 75.44% of H-2 yield with 51.87% of methanol conversion at 250 degrees C. Methanol conversion was found to be a strong function of catalyst reducibility and copper concentration. Also, reaction temperature depended strongly on the amount of Cu2O formed in the activated catalyst. Copyright (C) 2014, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.