We present a systematic method for designing a perfect antireflection coating (ARC) for a semi-infinite one-dimensional (1D) photonic crystal (PC) with an arbitrary unit cell. We use Bloch wave expansion and time reversal symmetry, which leads exactly to analytic formulas of structural parameters for the ARC and renormalized Fresnel coefficients of the PC. Surface immittance (admittance and impedance) matching plays an essential role in designing the ARCs of 1D PCs, which is shown together with a practical example. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.