Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics of patients with unilateral idiopathic posterior canal-benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (PC-BPPV). Methods We retrospectively analyzed and summarized the clinical characteristics of 214 patients with unilateral idiopathic PC-BPPV who were diagnosed in the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from Nov. 2013 to Feb. 2015. Results In the Dix-Hallpike displacement test (D-H test), the average latency of nystagmus in patients with unilateral idiopathic PC-BPPV was (2.02±1.19) s, and the average duration was (21.3±14.5) s. There were no gender or age differences in the latency or duration of nystagmus. Typical nystagmus was induced in 184 cases (86.0%) by one or two D-H tests. The first onset time of 162 cases (75.7%) was in wake up or sleep-tuning at night. Fifty-one cases (23.8%) displayed the reversal phase of nystagmus. The cure rate of patients was 88.3%, and the effective rate was 98.1%. Among 210 patients sensitive to treatment, the recurrence rates were 0 (0/210, 0 case lost to follow-up), 5.7% (12/210, 0), 8.7% (18/208, 2), 11.8% (23/195, 15) and 17.4% (31/178, 32) on 1^st, 3^rd, 6^th, 12^th and 18^th month, respectively. Forteen cases (6.5%) had canal switch phenomenon after reduction, and 67 cases (31.9%) had residual dizziness or unstable symptoms after reduction. Conclusion The most common first onset time of patients with unilateral idiopathic PC-BPPV is in wake up or sleep-tuning at night. Most patients can be cured by Epley method, but the long-term efficacy still need follow-up observation.