There is provided a paper conveying apparatus which can drive paper set guides, paper feed rollers, retard rollers, and conveyor rollers by a single motor. The paper conveying apparatus (100) includes a paper set guide (121) for setting paper, a paper feed roller (113) for feeding paper set at the paper set guide, a retard roller (114) arranged facing the paper feed roller, a conveyor roller (116) for further conveying paper fed by the paper feed roller, a motor (144) for generating a drive force for driving the paper set guide, and a transmission mechanism (190), arranged straddling a transport path of the paper, for transmitting the drive force to the paper feed roller and the retard roller, wherein the conveyor roller is driven by the transmission mechanism.