To provide an apparatus and a method for drying uniformly a coating film formed by applying a coating liquid which can prevent uneven drying.

The drying apparatus 14a is for drying the coating film after a coating film is formed by applying a solvent-containing coating liquid onto a carrier film 10 and is equipped with a blowing means 20 of blowing hot air directly and exclusively toward the center of the coating film while blowing air indirectly toward the outer periphery of the coating film, when the carrier film 10 with the coating film formed within the drying apparatus 14a is carried. While volatilization of the solvent and resultant drying of the coating film usually progresses from the outside to the center in natural drying, the whole coating film can be dried uniformly, because air is blown directly and exclusively toward the center of the coating film where drying tends to be retarded so as to promote drying of the solvent in the center.