The title binuclear complex, [Co(2)(C(8)H(3)NO(6))(2)(C(10)H(8)N(2))(3)(H(2)O)(6)], has been synthesized hydro-thermally from 3-nitro-phthalic acid (H(2)NPA), Co(NO(3))(2)·6H(2)O and 4,4'-bipyridine (4,4'-bipy). The mol-ecule of the complex occupies a special position on an inversion centre. The Co(II) atom has a slightly distorted octa-hedral environment formed by two N atoms from two 4,4'-bipy ligands, one carboxyl-ate O atom from NPA, and three O atoms of water mol-ecules. An extensive O-H⋯O and N-H⋯O hydrogen-bonding system links mol-ecules of the complex into a three-dimensional network.