This invention discloses a method for realizing timer in a network processor including: utilizing a storage region carried by a network processor to set up a timer queue including at least one timer list for storing counter value read from a counter when setting a timer, timed time length and thread ID of a module used in the timer, intializing said timer queue and setting the timer list as unusedin the queue, when the thread of a micro-engine needs said timer, the thread is used to poll said timer queue, reading the counter value of the current counter and writing the timed time length, thethread ID of the module used in the timer and the counter value into said list and feeding back the successful set of the timer.