A single layer filtration system was developed to investigate the filtration and regeneration performance of diesel particle filter (DPF). The particle layer thickness was directly measured online to analyze the different filtration stages. The influence of particle property on particle layer stage performance was also investigated. The results indicate that the filtration velocity can greatly affect the deep bed filtration stage, and the deposited particle layer can be compressed even in very low filtration velocity and higher filtration velocity trends to form denser particle layer. Optimizing the pore structure can effectively shorten the deep bed filtration stage and reduce the pressure drop eventually. An empirical function was proposed to relate the pore structure and the initial increment rate of pressure drop, which presented that reducing the pore size distribution range (3σ) can result in low DPF filtration pressure drop. The filtration stage could be further divided into four stages, and the value of particle layer thickness ranging within 15~20 μm has been found to be critical number for the shift from the transient stage to the cake filtration stage. Particle with large primary diameter and BET surface was beneficial to form loose particle layer.