The hydrodechlorination of 4-chlorophenol promoted by different commercial catalysts based on Pd and Rh on gamma-alumina and activated carbon has been investigated in a continuous stirred basket reactor (20-40 degrees C and 1 bar) in order to analyze the kinetics of the reaction. External and internal mass transfer effects were found to be negligible from the values of the Carberry and Weisz-Prater numbers. The reaction rate showed a first-order dependence with respect to 4-chlorophenol. All catalysts were effective in the removal of 4-chlorophenol, with phenol, cyclohexanone, and cyclohexanol identified as reaction products, although the last one was only detected with the Rh/AC catalyst. The highest apparent kinetic constant values correspond to the hydrogenation of 4-chlorophenol to phenol. These values were in the range 146-478 L/kg(cat).h for Pd/Al2O3, 179-713 L/kg(cat).h for Pd/AC, and 44-172 L/kg(cat).h for Rh/AC. The values of the apparent activation energy for 4-chlorophenol disappearance ranged within 47-58 kJ/mol.