A method for determining eight biogenic amines in surface water was established using high-performance liquid chromatography–triple quadrupole mass spectrometry to improve on the detection sensitivity of current methods. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.05 and 0.2 μg L^-1, respectively, for histamine, cadaverine, spermine, and spermidine, 1.0 and 3.0 μg L⁻¹, respectively, for putrescine, 1.5 and 5.0 μg L⁻¹, respectively, for tyramine and tryptamine, and 2.0 and 5.0 μg L⁻¹, respectively, for 2-phenylethylamine. The recovery of biogenic amines from spiked water samples was between 97.3 and 108.6% at levels between 0.05 and 15 μg L^-1 (R > 0.999). The relative standard deviations were in the range of 0.10-0.29%. This method can achieve rapid and accurate determination of biogenic amines in surface water, and it meets the minimum residue measurement requirements.