(ECL) is chemiluminescence that is triggered by electrochemical techniques, and it has received broad applications because of its advantages, such as high sensitivity and wide dynamic range. In recent years, some novel luminescent nanomaterials have been developed and widely used to fabricate ECL biosensors with the development of nanoscience and nanotechnology. This Review presents a general description of luminescent nanomaterials as ECL emitters from the last five years, including semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), carbon-based materials, metal nanoclusters (NCs), and upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs). The basic mechanisms, developments, and applications of these materials are given. Finally, we conclude with a brief look at the future challenges and prospects in the development of ECL sensors.