To supply, without waste, a developing solution onto the surface of a substrate which is coated with a resist and subjected to an exposure process while restraining it from flowing.

A developing device has a configuration wherein a liquid flow control plate and a liquid receiving plate which are each equal to or slightly larger than the substrate are arranged in a vertical direction in face to face with the surfaces of the substrate that is held by a substrate holder, the developing solution is supplied from a supply vent provided to the one edge of the surface of the liquid flow control plate to a gap between the liquid flow control plate and the liquid receiving plate, then the liquid receiving plate is pulled away in a lateral direction making its front surface pass below the supply vent and dropping down the developing solution staying on its surface on the surface of the substrate. In this case, the developing solution is moved down by the thickness of the liquid receiving plate and transferred onto the surface of the substrate, so that the developing solution supplied onto the substrate is restrained from flowing, exuding outside from the substrate, and wasting uselessly.