In a nitride compound semiconductor laser including an active layer sandwiched by semiconductor layers of different conduction types on a sapphire substrate, layers of polyimide for current blocking and light confinement are formed on side surfaces of a mesa-type current confining structure with and under the p-side electrode. The laser ensures efficient, uniform carrier injection into the active layer, suppresses higher-order modes other than the fundamental transverse mode, and thereby promises a high reliability ensuring continuous pulsation under a low threshold current and a low operation voltage with low noise characteristics.