The planning of laser cutting path for sheet metal with complex contour is one of the key problems in integrated laser cutting system. Under the technological requirements of sequential cutting from inside to outside for nested graphics, vaconcy route without through the cutting areas and avoided cutting across the regions as far as possible, an optimization model aiming at the shortest time of path planning and the shortest vacancy route was established. In the design and implementation of the planning algorithm, firstly, the complex contours were pre-processed, and the minimum circumscribed envelope rectangle of each contour was calculated. Then, the laser cutting path was preliminarily and precisely planned by using the genetic algorithm and the position relationship between the original boundary corner points of complex contours and the boundary corner points of envelope rectangle. Finally, the precise path planning of the cutting case for sheet metal was realized by this algorithm. Planning results show that this algorithm has the characteristics of fast planning speed, short planning path and high stability.