Single phase La-doped BaTiO 3 with the formula Ba 1Ϫx La x Ti 1Ϫx/4 O 3 : 0рxр0.20 was prepared by solid state reaction of oxide mixtures at 1350°C, 3 days, in O 2 . The tetragonal distortion in undoped BaTiO 3 decreased with x and samples were cubic for xу0.05. Both the tetragonal/cubic and orthorhombic/tetragonal transition temperatures decreased with x, but at different rates, and appeared to coalesce at xϳ0.08. The value of the permittivity maximum at the tetragonal/cubic phase transition in ceramic samples increased from ϳ10 000 for xϭ0 at 130°C to ϳ25 000 for xϭ0.06 at ϳϪ9°C. At larger x, the permittivity maximum broadened, showed ''relaxor''-type frequency dependent permittivity characteristics and continued to move to lower temperatures. Samples fired in O 2 were insulating and showed no signs of donor doping whereas air-fired samples were semiconducting, attributable to oxygen loss.