A plating apparatus for plating a surface of a substrate includes a plurality of plating tanks for holding a plating solution therein, a plurality of pumps combined respectively with the plating tanks, for circulating the plating solution through the plating tanks, a plurality of suction pipes connecting respective suction ports of the pumps to the plating tanks, respectively, and a plurality of discharge pipes connecting respective discharge ports of the pumps to respective different ones of the plating tanks from the plating tanks which are connected to the suction ports of the pumps. The plating tanks and the pumps are connected in series with each other.