 A selective optode based on immobilization of 5-(p-dimethylaminobenzylidene)rhodanine on a triacetylcellulose membrane was developed for quantitative determination of Au(III). The determination procedure was performed using a simple light-emitting diode (LED)-based device as a new effort to overcome low reproducibility and repeatability problems which usually accompany optode-based determinations. The results obtained were compared with those of conventional spectrophotometric methods. The response characteristics of the sensor including dynamic range, reproducibility, response time, and lifetime are discussed in detail. This sensor was used for the determination of Au(III) in ore and electroplating liquid effluent samples with satisfactory results in comparison with flame atomic absorption spectroscopy as standard method. Under the optimum conditions, the calibration plot was linear in the concentration range of 0.3–6.0 μg cm−3. The relative standard deviations for five replicate determinations of 1.0 μg cm−3 Au(III) and the corresponding limits of detection were 1.76% and 0.12 μg cm−3, respectively.