First, the basic concepts and the applications of close-range 3D laser scanning techniques were described. Then, the knowledge of these new techniques was strengthened through the comparison of passive 3D imaging techniques and active 3D imaging techniques and the comparison of three common techniques of laser ranging. After that, the principle and the basic steps of close-range 3D laser scanning based on triangulation were explained. The development status of these new techniques was also presented. At the end, the difficulties and the prospects of close-range 3D laser scanning techniques were discussed.