BiVO4　is　one　of　promising　materials　that　are　stable,　abundant,　non-toxic　and　inexpensive　for　hydrogen　production　by　water　splitting.　High　recombination　rate　inside　BiVO4　was　reported　as　a　limiting　factor　for　photoelectrochemical　(PEC)　performance　of　BiVO4　photo　anode.　In　this　work,　Cu　incorporated　BiVO4　with　gradient　doping　concentration　profile　was　synthesized　by　depositing　a　CuO　layer　between　BiVO4　and　FTO　followed　with　annealing.　Cu-doped　BiVO4　films　with　homogeneous　concentration　profile　were　prepared　as　a　counter　part　to　show　the　different　behaviors　between　the　gradient　doping　and　homogeneously　doping　on　charge　transport　and　separation.　It　is　found　that　the　PEC　performance　of　BiVO4　electrode　is　significantly　improved　by　gradient　doping　concentration　profile　in　BiVO4　layer,　especially　at　the　high　applied　bias　range.　While　homogeneously　doped　BiVO4　showed　a　ecreased　PEC　performance　as　Cu　element　acts　as　a　recombination　center.　Mott-Schottky　test　showed　that　the　flat　band　level　of　CuO-BiVO4　shifts　negative　slightly,　which　is　beneficial　for　hydrogen　production.　While　a　positive　shift　is　observed　for　homogeneously　Cu　doped　BiVO4　which　could　be　a　result　from　the　recombination　centre　nature　of　Cu　in　BiVO4.　This　work　provide　an　efficient　and　inexpensive　means　to　reduce　charge　recombination　in　BiVO4　and　improve　its　of　solar　water　splitting　efficiency.　(C)　2016　Hydrogen　Energy　Publications　LLC.　Published　by　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.