A support for a lithographic plate produced by a process which comprises:mechanically roughening the surface of an aluminum plate,chemically etching about 5 to 20 g/m.sup.2 of aluminum from the surface of the plate, andapplying an alternating wave-form electric current to the plate in an acidic aqueous solution such that the quantity of electricity generated with the plate as the anode is equal to or greater than the quantity of electricity generated with the plate as the cathode, electrolysis being carried out such that the current density when the plate is the anode is not less than about 20 A/dm.sup.2 and the quantity of electricity generated with the plate as the anode is about 200 coulombs/dm.sup.2 or less.