Abstract: The conformation of the N-H bond in the structure of the title compound (3NPDCA), C(8)H(6)Cl(2)N(2)O(3), is anti to the meta-nitro group, similar to that in the structures of 2-chloro-N-(3-nitro-phen-yl)acetamide (3NPCA) and 2,2,2-trichloro-N-(3-nitro-phen-yl)acetamide (3NPTCA), and the meta-chloro group in 2,2-dichloro-N-(3-chloro-phen-yl)acetamide (3CPDCA). The geometric parameters of 3NPDCA are similar to those of 2,2-dichloro-N-phenyl-acetamide, 3CPDCA, 3NPCA, 3NPTCA and other acetanilides. Inter-molecular N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the mol-ecules into chains running along the b axis.