A rapid, simple, selective and sensitive spectrophotometric method for the determination of cerium(III) using the title azo dyes [1,3-phenylenediamine bisazoacetylacetone (I(a));1,3-phenylenediamine bisazobenzoylacetone (I(b));1,4-phenylenediamine bisazoacetylacetone (I(c)); and 1,4-phenylenediamine bisazobenzoylacetone (I(d))] has been developed in neutral and slightly alkaline (pH 7.00, 7.50, 8.00 and 7.00) media. The 1:1 and 2:1 (M:L) complexes formed exhibit their highest absorbances in 30% (v/v) dioxane solutions, having formation constants (log K) of 4.44, 4.95. 5.63 and 5.22 and 8.51, 8.76, 9.73 and 9.37 respectively. Beer's law is obeyed over the concentration ranges 0.10-2.50, 0.05-3.00, 0.05-3.75 and 0.10-3.50 mug ml(-1) of cerium(III). More accurately, Ringbom optimum concentration ranges are 0.2-2.25, 0.2-2.6, 0.2-3.5 and 0.2-3.3 mug ml(-1) for the complexes of reagents I(a),I(b),I(c) and I(d) respectively. The molar absorptivities, Sandell sensitivities and relative standard deviations were also calculated. The interferences of 50 foreign ions on the determination of cerium(III) were studied. The method allows the determination of cerium(IV) after prior reduction to the trivalent state. The proposed method was used for cerium determination in two different monazite samples and the results were compared with certified values obtained using atomic absorption spectrometry, indicating that the procedure provided accurate and precise results.