Embodiments of the present invention disclose a buffer state reporting method and apparatus. The buffer state reporting method includes: triggering transmission of current buffer state report BSR information of a user equipment; and if the user equipment will transmit media access control protocol data unit MAC PDU data packets to a base station and the MAC PDU data packets include a newly transmitted MAC PDU data packet, carrying the BSR information in the newly transmitted MAC PDU data packet for transmission to the base station. In the buffer state reporting method and apparatus of the embodiments of the present invention, when multiple MAC PDUs are transmitted at the same time, BSR information is carried in a newly transmitted MAC PDU, so that a base station acquires BSR information on a user side in a timely manner, thereby improving performance of uplink scheduling for a user.