In a process for producing polyamides by polycondensation of polycondensable polyamide-forming monomers and/or oligomers in reaction mixtures comprising same, which may be water-containing but are free from organic solvents, the polycondensation is effected in an agitated reactor under agitation in a first step in the liquid phase and after a phase change taking place during the process in the same reactor is effected in a subsequent second step in the solid state, wherein the temperature in the reactor is below the melting point of the polyamide in the second step at least.