To provide a polylactic acid short fiber having an excellent mechanical strength and also showing less deformation caused by heat, a method for producing the same, and a nonwoven fabric using the polylactic acid short fiber as a main fiber and having a good dimensional stability.

This polylactic acid short fiber is characterized by constituted with the polylactic acid having ≥(99/1) ratio of the L-lactic acid/D-lactic acid (copolymerization molar ratio), ≤30% dry shrinkage at 140°C and ≥3.0 cN/dtex single fiber strength. Also, the polylactic acid short fiber is produced by melt-spinning the polylactic acid having ≥(99/1) ratio of the L-lactic acid/D-lactic acid (copolymerization molar ratio) and ≤0.08 mass% monomer amount, then drawing the obtained undrawn yarn and performing a heat treatment under a tension.