Disclosed is a recording apparatus including a recording head that performs recording with respect to a medium at a prescribed distance, a contact section that is capable of being in contact with the medium, a carriage that changes a relative location between the medium and the contact section, and an ultrasonic sensor that is capable of sensing an ultrasonic wave which is generated in a case where the medium is in contact with the contact section. The carriage changes the relative location such that a relative velocity between the medium and the contact section is over a prescribed value (transport velocity of the medium), and the ultrasonic sensor is capable of detecting a state of the medium by sensing the ultrasonic wave.