The main nitrogen (N) sources uptake by plants are the inorganic forms, nitrate (NO3-) and ammonium (NH4+). Yet, few species, such as rice plants, can tolerate high NH4+ concentrations, as they had to develop many mechanisms to cope with the excess of this ion in paddy soils. Despite some of these mechanisms had been described involving lowland rice plants, the NH4+ tolerance in upland rice plants still poorly understood. Thus, the aim of this study was to verify if upland rice plants are tolerant to high NH4+ concentrations. Thus, 35-day-old rice plants (Oryza sativa indica cv. BRS Primavera), were exposed to 0, 5, 10 and 15 mM NH4+, as sole N source, over 21 days in greenhouse conditions. Control plants (0 mM NH4+) were cultivated with 10 mM NO3-, as sole N source. After 21 days, gas exchange parameters (CO2 assimilation - PN and stomatal conductance - gS) and actual quantum efficiency of PSII (ΦPSII) did not change statically in any of treatments, but the 15 mM NH4+-exposed plants had lower PN and ΦPSII when compared to control plants. The concentration of NH4+ in root tissues increased exponentially as the exogenous NH4+ content increased, reaching 238% more in 15 mM NH4+-treated plants than control ones. In leaf tissues, NH4+ content had the same response observed in roots, however showed much lower proportion accumulating only 125% more in 15 mM NH4+- than in 0 mM NH4+-supplied plants. In summary, upland rice plants can tolerate exogenous high ammonium concentrations as reported to lowland rice plants. This tolerance is conferred by exclusion mechanisms to shoot tissues and NH4+ compartmentalization in roots. However, further investigations are needed to better understand the mechanisms related to ammonium tolerance in upland in rice plants.