Zirconium alloy has been widely used in nuclear reactor core structure materials, but the service life is restricted by its corrosion resistance and wear resistance. The surface integrity can be improved by adopting appropriate surface modification technique. In this paper, the literatures on the surface treatment of nuclear zirconium alloys in recent years were summarized. The development progress of zirconium alloys was briefly introduced and the surface treatment techniques that can improve the corrosion resistance and wear resistance of zirconium alloys were reviewed, such as shot peening, ultrasonic impact peening, cold rolling, nitrogen implantation and aluminum implantation. The effects of various surface treatment techniques on the microstructure and properties of zirconium alloys were summarized and the relationship between the structure and properties was introduced. Ultimately the surface modification techniques of zirconium alloy were discussed and prospected.