Locally advanced renal cell carcinoma (la-RCC) encompasses patients with TNM staging (AJCC 2017 edition) of T_1-2N₁M₀, T₃N_0-1M₀, and T₄ cases with localized disease and without distant metastasis. These patients face a high risk of postoperative recurrence and metastasis. The current primary treatment approach involves surgical resection combined with perioperative therapy. However, the optimal perioperative treatment strategy remains undefined, and refining these strategies is critical to improving patient outcomes. In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have demonstrated significant advancements in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment of renal cell carcinoma. This article reviews recent progress in perioperative immunotherapy for la-RCC, including findings from studies on preoperative neoadjuvant immunotherapy and postoperative adjuvant immunotherapy, to provide insights for clinical practitioners.