A silicon carbide epitaxial substrate has a silicon carbide single-crystal substrate and a silicon carbide layer. An average value of carrier concentration in the silicon carbide layer is not less than 1×1015 cm−3 and not more than 5×1016 cm−3. In-plane uniformity of the carrier concentration is not more than 2%. The second main surface has: a groove 80 extending in one direction along the second main surface, a width of the groove in the one direction being twice or more as large as a width thereof in a direction perpendicular to the one direction, and a maximum depth of the groove from the second main surface being not more than 10 nm; and a carrot defect. A value obtained by dividing a number of the carrot defects by a number of the grooves is not more than 1/500.