A method and apparatus for transmitting a message in a wireless communication system is provided. A user equipment (UE) submits a message to a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer and a radio link control (RLC) layer, detects a radio link failure or a handover failure, checks whether the RLC layer receives acknowledgement (ACK) to the message from the network, reestablishes the connection with the network, and retransmits the message upon the reestablishment if the RLC layer does not receive the ACK to the message.