Industrial symbiosis (IS) can contribute to achieving a win-win situation between industry and environment for local and regional circular economies. Many authors have recognized that a variety of barriers can hinder the implementation of industrial symbiosis (IS). It is imperative to understand and prioritize the barriers which will provide guidance for the realization of IS projects and assist practitioners and stakeholders with more effective implementation. This, in turn, will contribute to development of circular economies. Through an extensive literature review, we summarized the research on IS barriers from two aspects: (1) identification of IS barriers and (2) classification of IS barriers. It shows that the current research related to IS barriers is mainly qualitative. There is very little research of a quantitative nature assessing the barriers for operating industrial symbioses. Thus, it is imperative to prioritize the barriers in a comprehensive manner with more case studies. It provides empirical evidence for the study of IS barriers and should be helpful for managers, decision-makers, and policy planners to understand the IS barriers, focus on several critical barriers, and set comprehensive efforts for improving the operation of an IS, which could facilitate the transition to a circular economy.