The hydrogen sulfate anion (HSO₄⁻) plays an important role in biological and environmental areas, which could contaminate the environment and cause harm to human body. Thus a highly selective and sensitive detection of HSO₄⁻ is of significant importance. Among various methods for detection of hydrogen sulfate anion, optical chemosensors based on molecular recognition is desirable with unique advantages. Anions optical sensing systems are predominantly attractive due to their simplicity, high specificity, low detection limits, easy on-line analysis and especially colorimetric recognition and in-situ detection. Herein, the progresses during the last decades on optical chemosensors and probes for HSO₄⁻ based on the recognizing mechanism were summarized. The further research orientations were also prospected.