A method of manufacturing a flip-chip nitride semiconductor light emitting element includes steps of providing a nitride semiconductor light emitting element structure; forming an insulating protective layer on the nitride semiconductor light emitting element structure; forming a resist pattern having openings above an n-side electrode connecting surface and a p-side electrode connecting surface; etching the protective layer to expose the n-side electrode connecting surface and the p-side electrode connecting surface using the resist pattern as a mask; forming a first metal layer that becomes an n-side electrode and a p-side electrode, the first metal layer being formed as a continuous layer disposed on the n-side electrode connecting surface, the p-side electrode connecting surface and the resist pattern; forming a second metal layer that becomes metal bumps by electrolytic plating using the first metal layer as an electrode for the electrolytic plating; and removing the resist pattern.