Mevalonate kinase (MVK) is a key enzyme in plant terpenoid biosynthetic pathway.  This study focused on cloning and analysis of Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F.H.Chen MVK (PnMVK1) gene.  After searching the transcriptome dataset of P. notoginseng, one unique sequence encoding MVK was discovered.  The primers were designed according to the transcript sequence of PnMVK1 from the P. notoginseng transcriptome dataset.  And then, the open reading frame of PnMVK1 was cloned from P. notoginseng by using RT-PCR strategy.  The physical and chemical properties, secondary structure and three-dimensional structure of the PnMVK1 protein were forecasted and analyzed, and its structure and function were predicted.  The cDNA (named as PnMVK1) contains a 1 164 bp open reading frame and encodes a predicted protein of 387 amino acids.  The GenBank accession number for this gene is JQ957844.  No transmembrane region and signal peptide were present in PnMVK1.  The conserved domain of mevalonate kinase was present in PnMVK1.  PnMVK1 was more abundant in P. notoginseng root than other organisms.  This study cloned and analyzed PnMVK1 gene from P. notoginseng for the first time.  The result will provide a foundation for exploring the mechanism of terpenoid biosynthesis in P. notoginseng plants.