An object of the present invention is to provide a process that enables isocyanates to be stably produced over a long period of time at high yield without encountering various problems as found in the prior art when producing isocyanates without using 
phosgene. The present invention discloses a process for producing an 
isocyanate, comprising the steps of: reacting a 
carbamic acid ester and an aromatic 
hydroxy compound to obtain an 
aryl carbamate having a group derived from the aromatic 
hydroxy compound; and subjecting the 
aryl carbamate to a 
decomposition reaction, wherein the aromatic 
hydroxy compound is an aromatic hydroxy compound which is represented by the following formula (1) and which has a 
substituent R1 at least one 
ortho position of a hydroxyl group:(wherein ring A represents an 
aromatic hydrocarbon ring in a form of a single or multiple rings which may have a substitute and which have 6 to 20 carbon atoms;R1 represents a group other than a 
hydrogen atom in a form of an aliphatic 
alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aliphatic 
alkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an 
aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an aralkyl group having 7 to 20 carbon atoms or an aralkyloxy group having 7 to 20 carbon atoms, the group containing an atom selected from a 
carbon atom, an 
oxygen atom and a 
nitrogen atom; and R1 may bond with A to form a ring structure).