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Perfluorinated fatty acids (PFFAs), such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), are known peroxisome proliferators and hepatocarcinogens. A causal link between an increase in the oxidative stress by peroxisomes and tumor promotion has been proposed to explain the hepatocarcinogenicity of PFOA and PFDA. However, the down‐regulation of gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) has also been linked to the tumor‐promoting properties of many carcinogens. Therefore, the effect of PFFAs on GJIC in WB‐rat liver epithelial cells was determined. The chain length of the PFFAs tested for an effect on GJIC ranged from 2 to 10, 16 and 18 carbons. Carbon lengths of 7 to 10 inhibited GJIC in a dose–response fashion, whereas carbon lengths of 2 to 5, 16 and 18 did not appreciably inhibit GJIC. Inhibition occurred within 15 min and was reversible, with total recovery from …