Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a common procedure for the treatment of hematologic malignancies and some non-malignant hematologic disorders. In addition to other transplant-related organ toxicities, acute renal failure is a common complication following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. This review discusses the incidence, etiology, risk factors, and prognosis of renal failure associated with three commonly used transplantation models: myeloablative autologous, myeloablative allogeneic, and non-myeloablative allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantations.