To provide an apparatus and method for catalytically cracking and liquefying plastics, which is simple in process and can achieve high energy efficiency.

In the apparatus for catalytically cracking and liquefying plastics which catalytically cracks plastics to produce oil such as low-boiling oil, a heat-insulating gate, which includes a heat-insulating plate for blocking heat transfer from a reaction vessel to a raw material charging column, is disposed so as to be openable and closable at a predetermined position in the middle of a raw material flow path from a raw material charging port of the raw material charging column to the reaction vessel. There is also provided the method for cracking and liquefying plastics using the apparatus for catalytically cracking and liquefying plastics. Thus, raw material plastics charged from the raw material charging port can be reliably prevented from melting in the process of being charged into the reaction vessel and from adhering to the inner wall surface of the raw material flow path, and the catalytic cracking and liquefaction of plastics can be thereby achieved with high efficiency.