The aim of the present work was to prepare floating tablets of Tramadol HCl (TH) using xanthan gum as carrier. TH is a centrally acting oral analgesic that blocks pain through opoid receptor binding and inhibition of nor epinephrine and serotonin reuptake. It has elimination half-life of about 6 hrs. It has an oral bioavailability of about 70% which is suitable for developing gastro retentive floating drug delivery system. The formulations were prepared by varying the concentrations of xanthan gum and sodium bicarbonate. The tablets were prepared by direct compression technique. Xanthan gum and Hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) were used as alone and in combination as matrix forming agent and sodium bicarbonate for development of__ampersandsignnbsp; CO2. The prepared floating tablets were evaluated for tablet properties such as hardness, thickness, weight variation, floating property. In vitro dissolution was carried out for 8 hrs in 0.1N HCl at 37__ampersandsignplusmn;0.50C using USP paddle type dissolution apparatus. It was noted that, all the prepared formulations had desired floating lag time and constantly floated on dissolution medium by maintaining the matrix integrity. The drug release from prepared tablets was found to vary with varying concentration of the polymer, xanthan gum and HPMC K4M. From the study it was concluded that floating drug delivery system can be prepared by using xanthan gum as a carrier.