Provided are: an organic EL element which has practically satisfactory emission characteristics, driving voltage and durability; and a compound for organic EL elements, which is used for this organic EL element. This organic EL element is obtained by laminating, on a substrate, a positive electrode, a plurality of organic layers including a light emitting layer, and a negative electrode. In this organic EL element, at least one organic layer, which is selected from among the light emitting layer, a hole transport layer, an electron transport layer, a hole blocking layer and an electron blocking layer, contains an indolocarbazole compound. This indolocarbazole compound comprises at least one boron-containing group in each molecule, said boron-containing group having a structure wherein a boron atom in the boron-containing group is bonded to a carbon atom in an indolocarbazole ring or to an atom on a linking group that is bonded to a nitrogen atom in the indolocarbazole ring.