The invention relates to a preparation method of an erlotinib intermediate. The method concretely comprises the following steps: 1, dissolving vanillin in an organic solvent I, adding aluminum trichloride, adding pyridine in a dropwise manner, and reacting to obtain ELTA; 2, dissolving the ELTA in an organic solvent II, adding 2-chloroethylmethyl ether, potassium carbonate and a phase transfer catalyst, and reacting to obtain ELTB; 3, adding the ELTB to water, adding an alkali and potassium permanganate, and reacting to obtain ELTC; 4, adding concentrated sulfuric acid to methanol in a dropwise manner, adding the ELTC to the above reaction system, and reacting to obtain ELTD; 5, adding concentrated sulfuric acid to concentrated nitric acid in a dropwise manner, dissolving the ELTD in an organic solvent IV, adding a prepared mixed acid to the reaction system, and reacting to obtain ELTE; 6, adding the ELTE, iron powder and ammonium chloride to an organic solvent V, adding concentrated hydrochloric acid in a dropwise manner, and reacting to obtain ELTF; and 7, adding the ELTF, trimethyl orthoformate and ammonium acetate to an organic solvent VI, and reacting to obtain the erlotinib intermediate.