A method and apparatus for supporting a device-to-device (D2D) communication between user equipments (UEs) are provided. The method of a device-to-device (D2D) communication between user equipments (UEs), the method includes: receiving, at a transmission (Tx) UE, resource assignment information transmitted from an evolved NodeB (eNB), the resource assignment information being associated with a D2D discovery signal to be transmitted in a discovery period; determining, at the Tx UE, that a D2D discovery signal associated with a first discovery type and a D2D discovery signal associated with a second discovery type are to be transmitted in a first subframe included in the discovery period; and in the first subframe, transmitting the D2D discovery signal associated with the second discovery type and dropping the D2D discovery signal associated with the first discovery type.