A nitride semiconductor laser element, comprises a substrate, a nitride semiconductor layer laminated on said substrate and having a ridge on its surface, a first protective film that covers said nitride semiconductor layer, and an electrode form on the ridge and the first protective film, wherein the first protective film covers part of the nitride semiconductor layer surface in a contact state, and covers from the periphery around the base of the ridge to the side faces of the ridge in a non-contact state, resulting in a cavity being disposed from said ridge side faces to the ridge base periphery.