A method for manufacturing a light emitting device includes: joining a light transmissive substrate and two or more light emitting elements; separating the light transmissive substrate into a plurality of light transmissive pieces such that one or more of the light emitting elements remains in a state joined to one of the light transmissive pieces; mounting the one or more of the light emitting elements joined to the one of the light transmissive pieces on a mounting unit; removing a portion of the one of the light transmissive pieces such that a top surface of the one of the light transmissive pieces becomes a predetermined shape; and after the removing of the portion of the one of the light transmissive pieces, separating the mounting unit into a plurality of board pieces such that one or more of the light transmissive pieces remain on one of the board pieces.