The aim of this work was to prepare tenoxicam-ethanolamine salt with improved physicochemical properties for transdermal application. Tenoxicam-ethanolamine salt was prepared in methylene chloride and its physicochemical properties were investigated by DSC and FT-lR. The broad peak of tenoxicam around 3600-3200 $cm^-1$ was shifted to lower wavenumber and more broadened. The characteristic endothermic melting peak of tenoxicam appeared at $223^{circ}C$. The melting peak of tenoxicam-ethanolamine salt was shifted to $159^{circ}C$. In contrast to relatively small difference in the partition coefficients of tenoxicam and the tenoxicam-ethanolamine salt, large difference in aqueous solubility was observed. $Crovol^{circledR}$ PK4O (PEG-12 palm kernel glycerides) provided the highest skin flux for both compounds. The order of the enhancing effect of the various vehicles tested was similar for tenoxicam and tenoxicam-ethanolamine salt, which indicated that their enhancing mechanism for tenoxicam and tenoxicam-ethanolamine salt is similar. Tenoxicam-ethanolamine salt had a higher skin flux than tenoxicam by 1.2- to 31.7-fold, depending on the vehicles used. It is suggested that the vehicles with medium HLB value, 1 double bond, and lower ethylene oxide chain length have a better ability to modify the permeability of the stratum corneum and to promote the effective penetration of tenoxicam and tenoxicam-ethanolamine salt.