The invention belongs to the technical field of catalyst treatment, and especially relates to an activation method for a carbonylation deactivated or partly deactivated rhodium-phosphine catalyst. The activation method comprises the following steps: firstly, under the condition of non-carbonylation, mixing a reaction liquid containing the deactivated or partly deactivated rhodium-phosphine catalyst with C3-C6 alkynol or ester and carboxylic acid with the chemical formula of RCOOH, to perform activation reaction; then, adding a tertiary alkyl alcohol amine water solution into the obtained reaction liquid to generate water soluble salt, and performing sedimentation and separation, thereby obtaining an organic phase containing rhodium-phosphine complex catalyst; introducing hydrogen into the organic phase for reaction, and performing solid-liquid separation, thereby obtaining the activated solid rhodium-phosphine catalyst. According to the invention, the deactivated rhodium-phosphine catalyst is treated by virtue of the combined technology of activation and hydrotreated sedimentation, so that catalyst deactivation mainly caused by forming of a rhodium cluster compound is ameliorated obviously, the high-activity solid rhodium-phosphine catalyst can be obtained directly, and the difficult problem of separation between the rhodium-phosphine catalyst and the inhibitor alcohol aldehyde condensation compound thereof is solved.