Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is a class of RNA molecules, transcripted by RNA polymeraseⅡ, which consists of more than 200 nucleotides and protein-coding function. Many studies have indicated that lncRNA plays an important role in epigenetics, transcription and post-translational processing. The abnormal expression of lncRNA significantly correlates with occurence,development, and metastasis of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and prognosis of the patients with RCC. This paper summarizes the advances in the research on lncRNA in RCC to reveal the mechanisms of the disease at the molecular level, in order to provide new methods of prevention, diagnosis, treatment and prognostic assessment of RCC.