Tb3+ doped Na(3)La9O(3)(BO3)(8) (Tb:NLBO) crystals have been grown by the top-seeded solution growth (TSSG) method. X-ray powder diffraction results show that the introduction of Tb3+ does not change the structure of NLBO crystal. Tb3+ concentration was determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometcy to be 1.089 x 10(21) ions/cm(3). The absorption and emission spectra were measured at room temperature by using a (1 0 0) oriented crystal wafer. According to the Judd-Ofelt theory, the spontaneous transition probabilities, fluorescence branch ratio, and the radiation lifetime of D-5(4) state were calculated. The unpolarized and polarized emission properties under the 367 nm excitation were evaluated. The decay time of the 543 nm emission assigned to the D-5(4)-F-7(5) transition was also measured. All the results show that Tb:NLBO crystal would be a promising green laser material. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.