To provide a method for producing aromatic carbonates characterized as (1) changing a reflux ratio in a distillation process during the reaction to rare the energy consumed in the distillation and (2) needing no large-scale production plant.

One version of this method for producing an alkyl aryl carbonate is characterized by comprising transesterification between the corresponding dialkyl carbonate and an aromatic dihydroxy compound; wherein a batch reaction operations is made using a reactor equipped with a distillation section, the reflux ratio in the distillation section is set at lower levels in the early stage of the reaction and then set at higher levels as the reaction proceeds to effect efficient consumption of energy necessary for the distillation. Another version of this method for producing a diaryl carbonate is characterized by comprising disproportionation reaction between a dialkyl carbonate and the corresponding aromatic dihydroxy compound; wherein the reflux ratio in the distillation section is set similarly to the case with the 1st version of this method.