A vehicular discharge lamp that emits light by a DC lighting system, the vehicular discharge lamp includes: an outer tube; a light emitting tube disposed in the outer tube and including a light emitting portion and fine tube portions connected to the light emitting portion; cathode-side and anode-side electrodes disposed in the light emitting tube; two lead wires connected to the electrodes; and a metal film or a metal oxide applied on an outer peripheral surface of the fine tube portion on an anode side of the light emitting tube, or the metal wire being wound on the outer peripheral surface. Inert gas having negative pressure is filled in a space outside the light emitting tube in the outer tube, and a negative high-voltage pulse is applied to the anode-side electrode at a time of start-up.