To provide a vehicle exterior decorating member capable of providing a sufficient gradation effect to an observer, and having enhanced design characteristics, and to provide a method for manufacturing the same.A vehicle exterior decorating member includes a base member made of a colored translucent body having a front surface and a back surface including a surface having unevenness, and a light non-transmissive layer formed on a back surface side of the base member. The base member includes a general portion where a thickness is constant at greater than or equal to 2.5 mm and smaller than or equal to 4.0 mm, and a gradually changing portion where a thickness gradually changes. The gradually changing portion includes a maximum deviation portion where a difference in thickness between the general portion and the gradually changing portion becomes a maximum, and has (A) and/or (B). (A) Difference between a visible light transmissivity at the maximum deviation portion and a visible light transmissivity at the general portion is greater than or equal to 5%. (B) Assuming an L value of a Lab color system defined in JIS Z 8729, a difference between an L value at the maximum deviation portion and an L value at the general portion is greater than or equal to two.