Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) has been applied for the separation and quantification of the polyamines putrescine (PUT), cadaverine (CAD), spermidine (SPD) and spermine (SPM), after their derivatization with the fluoresceinisothiocyanate isomer I (FITC). The derivatization conditions (character of the derivatization medium and concentration, organic modifier, pH and temperature) and CZE operation conditions have been optimized with respect to a sensitive Laser induced fluorescence detection (λ_excitation=488 nm/λ_detection=520 nm). A complete separation of CAD from PUT was impossible under the conditions chosen. The detection limits and relative standard deviations for SPM, SPD, CAD, PUT were determined to be 2.9 (12%), 3.2 (7.6%), 0.7 (4.6%), 1.2 (7.6%) nmol/L, respectively. The method has been applied to a pine needle extract.