A method for manufacturing a silicon carbide epitaxial substrate includes: a step of placing a silicon carbide single crystal substrate within a chamber and reducing a pressure within the chamber; a step of increasing a temperature within the chamber to a first temperature; a step of introducing hydrogen gas into the chamber and adjusting the pressure within the chamber; a step of introducing hydrocarbon gas into the chamber; a substrate reforming step of increasing the temperature within the chamber to a second temperature and holding the temperature at the second temperature for a predetermined time, with the adjusted pressure within the chamber and a flow rate of the hydrogen gas being maintained and the hydrocarbon gas being introduced; and a step of growing an epitaxial layer on the silicon carbide single crystal substrate by introducing silane gas into the chamber with the second temperature being maintained.