A process for preparing a diaryl carbonate from a diaryl oxalate in a liquid phase by decarbonylation is conducted by the steps of:1) performing a decarbonylation reaction of a diaryl oxalate in the presence of an organic phosphorus compound catalyst to give a reaction mixture of a diaryl carbonate and the organic phosphorus compound catalyst;2) recovering the diaryl carbonate from the reaction mixture; and3) performing a decarbonylation reaction of a diaryl oxalate in the presence of the reaction mixture from which the diaryl carbonate has been recovered and to which a halogen atom-containing compound is added, to give a reaction mixture of a diaryl carbonate and the organic phosphorus compound catalyst.