PURPOSE: To provide a drive method for a solid-state image pickup element able to prevent deterioration in a signal charge in which the effect of smear and blooming is not caused even when a standby time at a vertical transfer section is long.

CONSTITUTION: In the solid-state image pickup element provided with a vertical transfer section comprising a 1st vertical transfer element 15 with a gate provided corresponding to plural photoelectric conversion elements PD arranged in horizontal and vertical directions and transferring the charge stored in the photoelectric conversion elements and comprising a 2nd vertical transfer element 12 having no gate to which the charge transferred to the 1st vertical transfer element 15 is transferred, after the charge SQ1 stored in the photoelectric conversion element PD is transferred to the 1st vertical transfer element 15 via a gate, the charge SQ1 of the 1st vertical transfer element 15 is transferred to the 2nd vertical transfer element 12 and after the end of transfer, the potential of the 1st vertical transfer element 15 is used for a barrier.