A process is described for electrolessly plating palladium metal on a variety of surfaces including palladium surfaces. The process involves use of a special electroless plating bath which is sufficiently stable for practical commercial use and yields excellent plating results. The plating bath contains a palladium salt and organic ligand. A narrow class of reducing agents is used including formaldehyde. The bath is made acid generally by the addition of nitric acid or hydrochloric acid. The process yields plating rates of about 6 microinches per minute and plating thicknesses in excess of 1 micrometer.