A method for producing a semiconductor laser element includes providing a semiconductor wafer comprising: a nitride semiconductor substrate, and a semiconductor stack located on the substrate, the semiconductor stack including a plurality of nitride semiconductor layers; forming in the substrate a fissure starting point and a fissure extending from the fissure starting point; forming a cleavage reference portion extending parallel to a cleavage plane of the semiconductor wafer as estimated from a plan view shape of the fissure; and cleaving the semiconductor wafer parallel to the cleavage reference portion to thereby obtain resonator end faces.