High membranous kidney injury molecule‐1 (KIM‐1) expression in pathological T1b (pT1b) clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) was significantly associated with a higher nuclear grade, tumor necrosis, hot tumor associated immune cell (TAIC) status, and shorter recurrence‐free survival (RFS) and cancer‐specific survival, and was an independent predictor of shorter RFS. This evidence concerns the gene HAVCR1 and nonpapillary renal cell carcinoma.