The aim of this work was to obtain adherent ceria coatings on a low-cost metallic substrate like ferritic stainless steel by electrochemical deposition from a cerous nitrate aqueous solution. The coatings were characterized and influence of many operational parameters was studied. With the impregnation time, the mass of deposited ceria firstly increased and then tended to a limiting value. This hindering process was successfully modelled using a rate law similar to the Elovich law. In the 285-313 K bath temperature range, the deposited mass was quite the same, while at 333 K, ceria deposit presented better faradic efficiency, increased compacity and showed a preferential crystal orientation (220 plane). The temperature influence was discussed in terms of interfacial pH and deposition reactions. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.