The results revealed a significant association between KIF1B rs17401966 polymorphism and susceptibility to HCC under a random-effect allelic model (OR = 0.85, 95% CI 0.76–0.94, P = 0.003); HBV-positive subgroup (OR = 0.82, 95% CI 0.72–0.95, P = 0.007); and Chinese-subgroup (OR = 0.82, 95% CI 0.72–0.93, P = 0.002). This evidence concerns the gene KIF1B and hepatocellular carcinoma.