Hepatitis C after liver transplantation leads to graft cirrhosis in up to 30% of patients within 5 years, but limited data exist regarding the clinical course of cirrhosis after transplantation. The aims of this study were to report the natural history of hepatitis C cirrhosis after liver transplantation and to identify risk factors for decompensation and survival. Hepatitis C patients underwent protocol liver biopsies yearly after liver transplantation. After cirrhosis was identified by biopsy, the outcomes of interest were the development of decompensation, death, or retransplantation for hepatitis C. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis was used to determine survival and risk factors for decompensation and mortality. Out of 502 liver transplants performed for hepatitis C, 88 patients (18%) had cirrhosis within 3.7 years. Seventy-one patients were compensated at diagnosis. The cumulative probability of decompensation 1 year after cirrhosis was 30%. A Model for End-Stage Liver disease score Ն 16 was predictive of decompensation and poor survival, whereas successful interferon treatment was found to reduce this risk (relative risk ϭ 0.05). Once decompensation occurred, 1-year survival was 46%. In conclusion, the results confirm an accelerated natural history of hepatitis C cirrhosis after liver transplantation and demonstrate poor survival after decompensation. The Model for End-Stage Liver Disease can stratify risk for decompensation and survival, whereas successful antiviral therapy may be protective. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a significant public health problem in the United States. The natural history after the development of HCV recurrence and graft cirrhosis is not well defined in the liver transplantation (LT) population. Unfortunately, fibrosis progression leading to cirrhosis and liver decompensation can occur after transplantation. As a result, both patients and clinicians need a thorough understanding of the natural history of the disease post-transplant as they face decisions in medical management and possibly retransplantation for HCV cirrhosis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to report the natural history of cirrhosis from HCV after LT and to identify prognostic factors for both decompensation and survival once cirrhosis occurs.The development of fibrosis in the LT population occurs at an accelerated rate (0.3-0.8 stage/year) in comparison with the immunocompetent patient population.1,2 As a result, cirrhosis occurs in about 25% of those transplanted for HCV within a median of 5 years.3-8 After the diagnosis of graft cirrhosis, liver decompensation occurs rapidly, with a 42% cumulative probability of decompensation at 1 year. 9 The limited available data that address the natural history of HCV cirrhosis in a transplant population come from 2 centers in Europe. The results are somewhat disparate and