Objective To investigate the incidence and influencing factors of postoperative infection in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). Methods A retrospective study was conducted on the HCC patients who received TACE during the period from January 2016 to December 2016. The possible risk factors that might induce postoperative infection after TACE were evaluated by using univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis. The risk factors were further stratified into very high risk factors, high risk factors, moderate risk factors and low risk factors. Results Among 386 HCC patients who showed effective response to TACE, postoperative infection occurred in 17 patients, the incidence rate was 4.4％. Ascites, history of hepatobiliary resection surgery or preoperative liver cancer rupture with bleeding, history of liver abscess or previous postoperative infection after TACE were the very high risk factors of infection after TACE. Preoperative serum total protein value <60 g/L was a high risk factor. The presence of tumor thrombus in portal vein or in vena cava was a moderate risk factor. Conclusion Ascites, previous hepatobiliary surgery, preoperative liver cancer rupture with bleeding, history of liver abscess and history of infection after TACE are significantly correlated with the occurrence of infection after TACE.