Novel I- ions doped (BiO)(2)CO3 (I-(BiO)(2)CO3) photocatalysts were successfully synthesized via a facile chemical precipitation method. Under visible light (lambda>400 nm), I-(BiO)(2)CO3 displayed much higher activity for rhodamine B and dichlorophenol degradation than the undoped (BiO)(2)CO3. The pseudo-first-order rate constant k(app) of RhB degradation over 15.0% I-(BiO)(2)CO3 was 0.54 h(-1), which is 11.3 times higher than that of (BiO)(2)CO3. The doped I- ions formed an impurity level on the top of valence band of (BiO)(2)CO3 and induced much more visible light to be absorbed. The enhanced photocurrent and surface photovoltage properties were detected, which strongly ensures the efficient separation of electrons and holes in I-(BiO)(2)CO3 system under visible light. It provides a facile way to improve the photocatalytic activity of the wide-band-gap (BiO)(2)CO3 via intense doping effect of I- ions. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.