Document image binarization is an important step in the document image analysis and recognition pipeline. Therefore, it is imperative to have a benchmarking dataset along with an objective evaluation methodology in order to capture the efficiency of current document image binarization practices. Following the success of DIBCO 2009 organised in conjunction with ICDAR¡¯09, the follow-up of this contest is organized in conjunction with ICFHR 2010. In H-DIBCO 2010 (Handwritten Document Image Binarization Contest), the general objective is to record recent advances in handwritten document image binarization using established evaluation performance measures. We will create a benchmarking dataset that is representative of the potential problems which are challenging in the binarization process and use a common evaluation platform in order to test and compare the submitted algorithms for handwritten document image binarization.