Objective To establish a reliable rats model of orthotopic liver transplantation with non-heart beating donors. Methods The model was established with modified double-cuff method. According to obtain pre-liver warm ischemia time experiencing non-heart-beat the rats were divided into 3 groups: 10 min (R10 group), 20 min (R20 group) and 30 min (R30 group), then one week survival after operation was compared in rats. Results The operative time of donor was 30 min approximately except warm ischemia time and the cold preservation time of donor liver was 1 h. The anastomotic time for suprahepatic vena cava was 12-22 min (mean 15 min). The anastomotic time for portal vein and infrahepatic vena cava was about 2 min and 1 min, respectively. The anhepatic phase sustained 14-24 min (mean 19 min). The operative time of receptor was 50-65 min (mean 60 min). Twelve rats died at 24 h after operation, which was considered as operative failure. The success rates of operation in R10 group, R20 group, and R30 group were 95% (19/20), 80% (16/20), and 65% (13/20), respectively. After one week the survival rate was 95% (18/19), 81% (13/16), and 54% (7/13), respectively. Conclusions Improved non-heart donor liver transplantation model of rat on the basis of Kamada’s “twocuff technique” acts as a good simulation in clinical non-heart-donor liver transplantation. This study showes that rat liver can tolerate warm ischemia time less than 30 min, the short-term survival after transplantation can reach satisfactory results. However, long-term survival requires further study.