The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of planting date and plant density on yield and yield components of safflower cv. Local Esfahan. Therefore, a factorial experiment based on randomized complete blocks design with four replications was carried out in research farm of Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan in 2012. Factors were included planting dates (5 April, 25 April and 18 May) and plant density (15, 40, 65 and 90 plant/m²). The trend of changes in plant head number and head seed number in the first and second planting dates was described by means of power equation. Results showed plant head number decreased with slope of 0.79 and 0.78 in the first and second planting dates. Also, head seed number decreased with the slope of 0.30 and 0.26 in the first and second planting dates. In the third planting date, these yield components decreased linearly with the slopes of 0.03 and 0.15, respectively. In the first planting date, seed yield per unit area decreased linearly with slope of 1.03. In the second and third planting dates, trend of yield variation was described by a quadratic equation. Regarding these equations, optimum plant density to obtain maximum seed yield was estimated 55.8  plant/m² for the second planting date and 56.6 plant/m² for the third planting date.