Polycrystalline Ba3La2(BO3)(4):Ce3+,Dy3+ sub-micrometer-sized phosphors were synthesized by solid-state reaction under a weak reductive atmosphere. The structure, static and time-resolved photoluminescence are investigated. Under the near-ultraviolet excitation, the Ba3La2(BO3)(4):Dy3+ phosphors emit white light with three intense emission bands centered at 483, 575, and 665 nm. The efficient energy transfer from Ce3+ to Dy3+ in Ba3La2(BO3)(4) phosphor was found by excitation/emission spectra and decay time measurements, and the resonant type was demonstrated by a dipole-dipole mechanism. A tunable emission hue from blue (0.18, 0.20) to blue-white (0.26, 0.29) and eventually to white (032, 0.33) was obtained in Ba3La2(BO3)(4):Ce3+,Dy3+ phosphors. Owing to the broad UV excitation band, indicating that Ba3La2(BO3)(4):Ce3+,Dy3+ phosphors can be considered as a potential candidate for ultraviolet-based white light-emitting diodes. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.