A carbon fiber recovery method for recovering carbon fibers from a fiber reinforced plastic member having a carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) layer on which a glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) layer is formed is provided. This method includes: forming a cut that penetrates through the GFRP layer and reaches the CFRP layer in the fiber reinforced plastic member; causing a heated phosphorus-containing solution to penetrate from the cut and separating the CFRP layer from the GFRP layer in the vicinity of an interface between the CFRP layer and the GFRP layer; and dissolving, by a resin solution, a resin part of the CFRP layer from which the GFRP layer has been removed and then recovering the remaining carbon fibers.