Because of their low toxicity, easy preparation, good photostability and color-tunable photoluminescence, carbon dots are expected to be a new kind of ideal solid-state photoluminescent materials. However, due to the aggregation-induced fluorescence quenching(ACQ) effect, the development of carbon dots in the field of solid-state photoluminescence is limited. Preparing solid-state emissive carbon dots featuring anti-ACQ ability is an important topic in the field of carbon dot research. On basis of the latest progress in the study of solid-state emissive carbon dots, this review summarizes the synthesis and photophysical properties of these carbon dots with anti-ACQ ability in terms of core/surface state controlling and supramolecular/polymer crosslink-enhanced emission, and discusses the physical mechanisms for the occurrence of the solid-state emission. Moreover, the application progress of these carbon dots in the field of solid-state photoluminescence is introduced, and the current situation and problems they faced are discussed.