A semiconductor light emitting device includes a semiconductor multilayer structure comprising a plurality of Group III V nitride semiconductor layers including two semiconductor layers of different conductivity types, and a transparent electrode formed on the semiconductor multilayer structure. The transparent electrode contains an impurity element developing the same conductivity type as that of an impurity element introduced into a semiconductor in the semiconductor multilayer structure, which semiconductor has an interface with the transparent electrode. Therefore, contact resistance between the transparent electrode and the semiconductor having the interface with the transparent electrode is decreased.