Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that results in a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks flexible (synovial) joints. Objective: The aim of this study wasto estimate serum level of Matrix metalloproteinase 3 and hydroxyproline in early rheumatoid arthritis. Patients and methods: This study included a total of 40 patients with early RA (disease duration < 3 yrs.) and 20 normal volunteers of matched age and sex served as the control group, attending at Department of Physical Medicine, Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Al-Hussein University hospital. A disease evaluation was done by DAS 28 for all subjects. Results: In this study, there was a significant positive correlation between matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMPs) with all studied parameters of disease activity (MS, SJC, GH, ESR, DAS 28) p-value <0.05 and a significant positive correlation between MMP3 and TJC p-value <0.001. There was also a significant positive correlation between hydroxyproline with (TJC, SJC, DAS28) p-value <0.05. Results showed a significant positive correlation between matrix metalloproteinase 3 and hydroxyproline. (P-value <0.001). Conclusion: It could be concluded that in RA there is an evidence of elevated serum MMP3 and HP levels that reflects disease activity and could be used as a specific marker for joint damage.