This oxidation catalyst for diesel engines is divided into an upstream-side catalyst layer and a downstream-side inner catalyst layer in the flow direction of the exhaust gas, and a downstream-side outer catalyst layer is additionally formed so as to cover the surface of the downstream-side inner catalyst layer. The upstream-side catalyst layer and the downstream-side inner catalyst layer contain Pd, and the downstream-side outer catalyst layer contains Pt. The amounts of Pt and Pd contained in the upstream-side catalyst layer and the amounts of Pt and Pd contained in the downstream-side inner catalyst layer are constantly set to certain values, while the amount of Pt contained in the downstream-side outer catalyst layer is set to a value which enables the oxidation efficiency to be at a predetermined value or higher.