Objective To investigate the risk factors of early allograft dysfunction (EAD) following C-Ⅱ donation after cardiac death (DCD) liver transplantation. Methods The data of 46 donors and recipients of C-ⅡDCD liver transplantation between March 2012 and August 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. The baseline data such as democracy, death cause, donor warm ischemic time (DWIT) and cold ischemic time (CIT) in EAD group and the non-EAD group (control group) was compared, and whether these factors were risk factors of EAD was investigated by univariate and multivariate analyses. Statistical cut-off values for significant factors of the unfavorable analysis were defined by receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis. The 6-month and 1-year graft survival rate were compared. Results The EAD group had a longer DWIT compared with the group [(17.6±4.7) and (12.7±6.2) minutes, P=0.009]; meanwhile, the EAD group had a longer CIT compared with the control group [(13.7±4.7) and (11.0±3.5) hours, P=0.020]. The other factors in both groups showed no statistical significance (P>0.05). The ROC curve revealed the cut-off values of DWIT and CIT were 17.50 minutes [area under the curve (AUC)=0.713, P=0.020] and 9.85 hours (AUC=0.723, P=0.015), respectively. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed the DWIT [odds ratios (OR)=1.340, 95% confidence interval (CI)(1.042, 1.654), P=0.008] and CIT [OR=1.396, 95% CI (1.075, 1.698), P=0.015] were all independent risk factors of EAD. The 6-month and 1-year graft survival rate of the EAD group and the control group was 85.7% vs. 92.3% (P=0.607) and 71.4% vs. 84.6% (P=0.587), respectively. Conclusions EAD may occured in C-Ⅱ donors with DWIT≥17.50 minutes or CIT≥9.85 hours in DCD liver transplantation. The livers can be used as a resource for clinical use and also have a good outcome.