Hydrogen chloride gas obtained as a by-product in the production of chloroacetic acid by subjecting acetic acid to a catalytic chlorination reaction with chlorine gas in the presence of acetic anhydride and/or acetyl chloride is purified. The prepurified by-product still contains 0.1-3 vol % acetyl chloride and up to 0.1 vol % chloroacetyl chloride. For purification, the hydrogen chloride gas is passed through two zones series-connected together and scrubbed in countercurrent fashion. More particularly, it is scrubbed in the first zone with concentrated hydrochloric acid and in the second zone with concentrated sulfuric acid.