Hoplocephalus is a genus of venomous snakes in the family Elapidae.

The genus name Hoplocephalus was originally coined for the king cobra by Johann Georg Wagler, under the name Hoplocephalus bungaroides (formerly Naja bungaroides).

[2] Snakes of the genus Hoplocephalus have a pair of large grooved venom fangs, which are followed by two or three small maxillary teeth.

The dorsal scales are smooth, without apical pits, and are arranged in 21 rows at midbody.

[4] Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Hoplocephalus.