Objective To summarize and analyze the results of national external quality assessment(EQA)of cerebrospinal fluid scheme during 2012-2016 and provide meaningful reference and suggestions for improving the level of cerebrospinal fluid test in China. Methods The national center for clinical laboratories(NCCL)distributed samples to the laboratories participate in the cerebrospinal fluid scheme every year, and collected the test results of laboratory returns, and analyzed the results according to the different methods grouping, and evaluated the detection level. Results For the total protein detection, the CV of the pyrogallol red-molybdenum-chromium method was not obvious, and the pass rate was slightly increased. The CV of dye combination method was relatively small in 2012 and 2014, and the pass rate was the highest. 2013, 2015, 2016 the pass rates were low; The turbidimetry and dry chemical method had significant fluctuations in CV. For chloride , the dry chemical method had the lowest CV and the highest pass rate. For glucose , the CV was small and decreased year by year, and the pass rate was higher (average pass rate was 99.23%). For IgG detection, CV was 9.2% to 16.43%, and the pass rate was lower than 83.6%, but it was increasing year by year. Conclusions The present testing performance for cerebrospinal fluid in China is quite variable. With the help of external quality assessment program, the hole testing performance for cerebrospinal fluid detection will be improved in China.