:Vapor adsorption of hydrocarbon has been studied for stabilization after drying low-rank coal. The surface characteristics and the propensity of spontaneous combustion were observed for stabilized coal which was maintained with hydrocarbons as stabilizer at several conditions of residence time and temperature. Surface area of micropores in coal mainly decreased after vapor adsorption. As residence time and temperature of adsorption process increased, the propensity of spontaneous combustion decreased. The type of hydrocarbons did not effect on the propensity of spontaneous combustion. As the analysis results of this work, the amount of hydrocarbon adsorbates required to stabilize dried coal was 0.5 wt% or less of coal, and the stabilizing effect was induced by adsorption of low-molecular-weight hydrocarbons.