The investigation of simultaneous effects of Hall current and viscous dissipation on three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic nanofluid flow in a horizontal rotating channel with active and passive control of nanoparticles, is carried out. The lower sheet is considered stretching while the upper sheet is kept fixed. Mathematical model is developed using boundary layer and scale analysis approach. Similarity transformation technique is employed to translate the governing partial differential equations into ordinary differential equations. The bvp4c solver of MATI.AB is employed to solve transformed equations. Computations for nanofluid velocity, nanofluid temperature distribution and distribution of nanoparticles along with skin friction co-efficient and Nusselt number, are carried out for a range of values of pertinent flow parameters. A comparative analysis of effect of CuO and Al2O3 nanoparticles on velocity, temperature, nanoparticle distribution, skin friction coefficient and Nusselt number is carried out. Rate of heat transfer at the lower sheet is observed to be a decreasing function of magnetic field whereas this physical quantity is getting enhanced as the volume fraction of nanoparticles are increased. (C) 2017 The Society of Powder Technology Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. and The Society of Powder Technology Japan. All rights reserved.