Purpose To explore the REV1 genetic variants effect the risk of cervical carcinoma. Methods Total 543 cases, including 282 carcinoma and 261 CIN, and 480 normal controls were performed. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (REV1 Phe257Ser and REV1 Asn373Ser) were genotyped by PCR-squencing, and analysis the correlation to clinical character including HPV infection. Results Compared with the REV1 Phe257Ser, women carrying Ser257Ser and Phe257Ser genotypes had a significantly decreased the risk for cervical carcinoma or cervical squamous cell carcinoma. On contrary, homozygous Ser373Ser increased the risk for carcinoma. In addition, we found that the association of Phe257Ser and Asn373Ser with the risk for cervical carcinoma was specific to squamous cell carcinomas and not relevant for adenocarcinoma. Our results suggest that women carry Phe257Ser variant genotype decrease the risk for cervical carcinoma, more in women that have high-risk sexual reproductive histories, when women who carried Asn373Ser variant genotype and had high-risk sexual and reproductive histories had a significantly elevated risk for cervical carcinoma. Conclusion Our results support Phe257Ser and Ser257Ser genotypes are associated with a decreased risk for cervical carcinoma, while Asn373Ser and Ser373Ser genotypes increased the risk. In addition, the effects were more significant in the groups with high-risk sexual and reproductive histories.