Vanadium oxide catalysts were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation of ammonium metavanadate on a zirconia-alumina mixed oxide with different vanadium loading (8, 10 and 15 wt.% of V), in order to increase the performance in oxidative desulfurization (ODS) of dibenzothiophene compounds, using H₂O₂ or tert-butyl hydroperoxide as oxidant . In addition, the catalyst with 15% of V was modified creating vanadium oxides partially reduced. The oxidation states and reducibility of vanadium catalysts were studied by temperature-programmed reduction (TPR). The catalysts were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Catalytic performance was discussed in terms of vanadium species prevailing on the catalysts, which increase the reactivity of refractory HDS compounds present in diesel fuel (DBT, 4-MDBT, and 4,6-DMDBT).