A driving device for a semiconductor element includes: a plurality of detection circuits that detect different types of abnormalities of the semiconductor element; a logic circuit that generates an error signal when at least one of the detection circuits detects an abnormality; an alarm signal generating circuit that receives the error signal and generates an alarm signal made of one or a plurality of pulses, the alarm signal having a different pulse width for each of the detection circuits that has detected an abnormality; and a protection operation determining circuit that determines whether or not a protection function of the semiconductor element is operating based on the error signal and the alarm signal, and shuts off input of a drive signal to the semiconductor element when it is determined that the protection function is operating.