In the title V(IV) complex, [VO(C₁₃H₁₅NO₃)(C₁₂H₈N₂)], the oxidovanadium cation is N,N'-chelated by a 1-10-phenanthroline ligand and N,O,O'-chelated by a Schiff base anion in a distorted octa-hedral geometry. Weak inter-molecular C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds occur in the crystal structure which contains solvent-accessible voids of 81 ų.