A method for forming an electrode plate for a battery includes the steps of (a) forming mixture layers on a current collector, lateral end surfaces of the mixture layers forming a continuous plane with at least one lateral end surface of the current collector; and (b) forming a porous film on the mixture layers. The step (b) includes the steps of: (b1) placing an electrode plate including the current collector and the mixture layers on a gravure roll having a cylindrical part and a truncated cone part provided continuously on an end surface of the cylindrical part to have an outwardly increasing inside diameter, the location of the end surface of the truncated cone part near the cylindrical part corresponding to the location of the continuous plane; and (b2) after the step (b1), abutting the gravure roll against the moving electrode plate while rotating the gravure roll in the opposite direction to the direction of travel of the electrode plate, thereby continuously applying a coating fluid serving as a precursor of the porous film to the electrode plate to cover longitudinal surfaces of the mixture layers and the continuous plane.