A starter comprising: a motor 24, a clutch 21, which is connected to the motor 24; a pinion gear 22, which is connected to the clutch 21 and engages and disengages with the ring gear of the engine; an electromagnetic switch 2, which switches on and off an electric current for the motor 24; a reciprocating shift lever 4, which is linked to the electromagnetic switch 2; and lever springs 105, which press the shift lever 4 so that the pinion gear 22 is elastically pushed against and engaged with the ring gear; wherein the lever springs 105 are arranged symmetrically with respect to a plane 25 which includes the central axis of the motor 24 and the central axis of the electromagnetic switch 2, the lever springs 105 are attached to cylindrical portions 106b which are a plurality of protrusions on the plate 106, and the lever springs 105 and the shift lever 4 come into contact through a plate 106.