The present disclosure relates to an image encoding device and method that can improve the encoding speed while the picture quality is maintained. A statistical information calculation unit supplies calculated statistical information to a table selection unit. The table selection unit is further supplied with a picture type and a picture depth of an image from a screen sort buffer and a quantization parameter Qp from a rate controlling unit. The table selection unit determines a mode table to be used from among a plurality of mode tables, which are stored in a table storage unit in response to picture types, picture depths, statistical information, applications, Qp and so forth and in which types of prediction modes that become a selection target are limited. The present disclosure can be applied, for example, to an image processing apparatus that performs encoding.