A video decoding method that executes a decoding processing for input encoded data for each block, comprising: a variable-length decoding step that decodes a partition structure of a block to be processed from the input encoded data; a predictive image producing step that produces a predictive image for each of a plurality of partitions that are present in the partition structure in a plurality of layers, wherein a single layer contains only partitions for which a number of pixels used as a unit amount for processing the partitions is the same; wherein a first layer of the plurality of layers is lower than a second layer of the plurality of layers, if the unit amount of processing of the first layer is smaller than the unit amount of processing of the second layer, a transform candidate deriving step that determines a list of transform candidates that is a list of applicable transforms for partitions from transforms included in a predetermined transform preset, wherein the variable-length-decoding step decodes a transform selection flag based on the input encoded data and the list of transform candidates as well as decodes a transform coefficient of the block to be processed based on the transform selection flag, a prediction residual reconstructing step that reconstructs a prediction residual by applying inverse transforms to the transform coefficient, the inverse transforms corresponding to transforms, the transforms being specified by the transform selection flag; and a local decoded image producing step that outputs decoded image data based on the predictive image and the prediction residual, the decoded image data corresponding to the block to be processed, characterized in that if the predetermined transform preset includes a plurality of transforms having an equal magnitude relation between a longitudinal length and a lateral length in the transform size and having different transform sizes, then for the uppermost layer the transform candidate deriving step includes from said plurality of transforms the transform having the largest size and excludes the other transforms of said plurality of transforms from the list of transform candidates. a variable-length decoding step that decodes a partition structure of a block to be processed from the input encoded data; a predictive image producing step that produces a predictive image for each of a plurality of partitions that are present in the partition structure in a plurality of layers, wherein a single layer contains only partitions for which a number of pixels used as a unit amount for processing the partitions is the same; wherein a first layer of the plurality of layers is lower than a second layer of the plurality of layers, if the unit amount of processing of the first layer is smaller than the unit amount of processing of the second layer, a transform candidate deriving step that determines a list of transform candidates that is a list of applicable transforms for partitions from transforms included in a predetermined transform preset, wherein the variable-length-decoding step decodes a transform selection flag based on the input encoded data and the list of transform candidates as well as decodes a transform coefficient of the block to be processed based on the transform selection flag, a prediction residual reconstructing step that reconstructs a prediction residual by applying inverse transforms to the transform coefficient, the inverse transforms corresponding to transforms, the transforms being specified by the transform selection flag; and a local decoded image producing step that outputs decoded image data based on the predictive image and the prediction residual, the decoded image data corresponding to the block to be processed, characterized in that if the predetermined transform preset includes a plurality of transforms having an equal magnitude relation between a longitudinal length and a lateral length in the transform size and having different transform sizes, then for the uppermost layer the transform candidate deriving step includes from said plurality of transforms the transform having the largest size and excludes the other transforms of said plurality of transforms from the list of transform candidates.