The aim of this research was to evaluate heat tolerance of thirty crossbred sheep (Santa Ines with Dorper) with white and black coat under heat stress. The experiment was conducted in September and October of 2012 and a completely randomized design was used. Before and after one hour exposure to solar radiation (14h00 - 15h00), rectal temperature, respiratory rate and surface temperature of the animals were measured. The Black Globe Temperature Humidity Index, the Heat Tolerance Index and the Heat Tolerance Coefficient were calculated. The values found for the Black Globe Temperature Humidity Index in the sun and in the shade were 89.08 and 82.81 respectively. Animals coat coloring did not influence on their rectal temperature and there was no difference on the heat tolerance index. It was verified the effect of coat coloring on the respiratory rate in dark colored hair coat sheep (P < 0.05) and the effect of the environment and coat coloring on the surface temperature and on the heat tolerance coefficient under the sun. Dark colored hair coat sheep presented lower tolerance to heat.