Semiconductor laser element and method for manufacturing semiconductor laser element

A semiconductor laser element includes: a semiconductor substrate having a semi-polar surface formed of a hexagonal crystal system group III nitride semiconductor; an epitaxial layer (2) which is formed on the semi-polar surface of the semiconductor substrate and includes a light-emitting layer, the epitaxial layer having a ridge portion (18); a first electrode (14) formed on the top of the ridge portion; an insulating layer (12) which covers the epitaxial layer on the periphery of the ridge portion (18a) and the lateral face of the ridge portion (18b) while covering at least a part of the lateral face of the first electrode continuously from the epitaxial layer side; a pad electrode (13) which is formed to cover the top of the first electrode and the insulating layer and is electrically connected to the first electrode; and a second electrode (15) which is formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate opposite the surface where the epitaxial layer is formed.