In order to develop an assay for rapid, specific, quantitative detection of SARS-associated coronavirus, the primers and quantitative probes were designed and applied to detect coronavirus, based on the principle of complex probes quantitative assay. Sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility and range of quantitation of this method were determined. The quantitative RT-PCR for coronavirus with complex probes and an easy to handle and high efficiency method for isolation RNA from sample were established. The detect limit is 5 copies RNA per reaction and no negative samples or other RNA/DNA were detected with this method. It allows for a high sample throughput. It shows a very good precision, the coefficient of variation of threshold cycle was less than 5%. 42 clinical SARS samples were detected with this quantitative RT-PCR, the rate of SARS samples can be detected was 79%. It can be concluded that the method established for quantitaion of SARS-CoV is highly sensitive,rapid and easy to handle and shows a very good reproducibility,it can be applied to clinical diagnosis.