Objectives To assess the pattern of contraceptive use and its determinants, knowledge regarding contraceptives including oral contraceptive pills and fertility intentions among tribal women in the reproductive age group.Design Community-based cross-sectional study.Setting Community development blocks in a predominantly tribal district of Wayanad in Kerala, India.Participants Women in the reproductive age group (15–49 years) from the tribal groups in the district numbering 2495.Outcome measures Primary Prevalence of contraceptive use and its determinants.Secondary Knowledge regarding contraceptives in general, oral contraceptives and fertility intentions.Results The mean age of the study participants was 30.8 years (SD=9.8) and belonged to various tribal groups such as Paniya (59.2%), Kurichiyar (13.6%) and Adiya (10.9%). Current use of contraceptive was reported by about a fourth, 658 (26.4%) (95% CI 27.9 to 24.9) of women. Following logistic regression, belonging to Paniya tribe (adjusted OR (aOR) 2.67, 95% CI 1.49 to 4.77; p13 years (aOR 1.69, 95% CI 1.14 to 2.52; p