Recently, many studies have been published to evaluate the correlation between the cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) T3801C polymorphism and cervical neoplasia risk. However, the results remain inconclusive. To clarify this possible association, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies. Data were collected from the following electronic databases: PubMed, Embase, Ovid, ISI Web of Knowledge, Google Scholar, and Chinese Biomedical Database databases. The pooled odds ratio (OR) and its 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI) were used to assess the strength of this association. The pooled ORs were performed for the allele model (C vs. T), the homozygote model (CC vs. TT), the dominant model (CC/CT vs. TT), and the recessive model (CC vs. TT/CT), respectively. Finally, a total of 12 independent studies including a total of 3,724 subjects (1,912 cases/1,812 controls) were eligible for meta-analysis. Overall, there was a significant association between the CYP1A1 T3801C polymorphism and cervical neoplasia susceptibility (C vs. T, OR 1.32, 95 % CI 1.04-1.68, P = 0.02; CC vs. TT, OR 1.99, 95 % CI 1.19-3.35, P = 0.01; CC/CT vs. TT, OR 1.36, 95 % CI 1.02-1.81, P = 0.02; CC vs. TT/CT, OR 1.57, 95 % CI 1.23-2.02, P < 0.01). Meta-analysis of the ten studies on cervical cancer suggested a significant association between the CYP1A1 T3801C polymorphism and cervical cancer risk (C vs. T, OR 1.38, 95 % CI 1.05-1.82, P = 0.02; CC vs. TT, OR 2.06, 95 % CI 1.15-3.70, P = 0.02; CC/CT vs. TT, OR 1.45, 95 % CI 1.03-2.02, P = 0.03; CC vs. TT/CT, OR 1.56, 95 % CI 1.20-2.03, P < 0.01). In the stratified analysis by ethnicity, significant associations were also detected in some genetic models. This meta-analysis demonstrates a significant association between the CYP1A1 T3801C polymorphism and cervical neoplasia susceptibility.