The present invention provides a method for producing a cyclometalated iridium complex by use of a non-chlorine iridium raw material. The method for producing a cyclometalated iridium complex includes producing a cyclometalated iridium complex by reacting a raw material including an iridium compound with an aromatic heterocyclic bidentate ligand capable of forming an iridium-carbon bond, the raw material being non-halogenated iridium having a conjugated base of a strong acid as a ligand. Here, the non-halogenated iridium is preferably one containing a conjugated base of a strong acid having a pKa of 3 or less as a ligand.