Objective To explore the expression and clinical significance of the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) urothelial carcinoma-associated 1 (UCA1) in the patients with intrahepatic metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods We collected the tumor tissues, pre-and post-operative plasma samples of 20 HCC intrahepatic metastasis patients undergoing resection, the tumor tissues and plasma samples of 20 HCC patients, and the plasma samples of 20 healthy peoples from Changhai Hospital of Second Military Medical University between Jan. 2015 and Jan. 2016. qPCR was used to determine the UCA1 mRNA expression in the tumor tissues and plasma samples. We analyzed the relationship of UCA1 mRNA expression with clinicopathological characteristics, including Child-Pugh grade, the size of primary tumor, age, gender and drinking history. Results The expressions of UCA1 mRNA in the tumor tissues and the plasma of the patients with intrahepatic metastasis of HCC were significantly higher than those of HCC patients (P<0.01). In addition, UCA1 mRNA expression was significantly decreased before surgery in the patients with intrahepatic metastasis of HCC compared with after surgery (P<0.05). Expression of UCA1 mRNA in tumor tissues of HCC intrahepatic metastasis patients was correlated with the size of primary tumor (P=0.025) and Child-Pugh grade (P=0.006). Conclusion UCA1 may be a diagnostic and monitoring marker for metastasis of HCC; UCA1 expression is closely related to the development of HCC.