The fatigue limit of an ion-nitrided steel was investigated experimentally and analytically. It is found that fatigue limit can singificantly be increased by ion-nitriding, and that the case depth is the most important parameter which determines the fatigue limit. The data indicate that fatigue limit increases with the case depth as well as the surface hardness of the nitrided steel. The fracrographs of the fracture surfaces taken by a scanning electron microscope show that the fisch-eye is located at the subsurface of failed specimens. Assuming that crack propagates from the subsurface inclusions, an analytical model is proposed to predict the fatigue limit. Taking into account the stress distrbution of a nitrided specimen, fatigue limit is predicted as a function of the case depth. The proposed semiemprical formula agrees satisfactorily with the experimental data obtained from rotating beam fatigue testing.