PURPOSE: To enable high-yield production of carbonic ester in high selectlvlty by inhibiting the side reactions on the acidic points on the solid catalyst, thus maintaining the high activity of the catalyst for a long period of time.

CONSTITUTION: A carbonic ester is produced by vapor-phase catalytic reaction between carbon monoxide and nitrous ester in the presence of a solid catalyst in which platinum metal ions and alkali metal and/or alkaline earth metal ions are carried on an ion exchange type zeolite where the atomic ratio of hydrogen ion to aluminum is 0.1 to 0.6. Since the reaction system is free from hydrogen chloride, the reaction installation is free from erosion and the reaction product is chlorine-free.