To provide carbon fiber precursors from which carbon fibers having a high grade and a high quality can be produced even under calcination condition of high tension or draw ratio without deteriorating productivity, while suppressing the formation of fuzz and the breakage of the fiber precursors.

Provided are the carbon fiber precursors having a degree of orientation of 92 to 95% and a single fiber creep rate of 0.01 to 0.1%/min under a load of 1.25 g/dtex at 130C, and a method for producing carbon fibers from the carbon fiber precursors.