An automotive door latch device (10; 110), comprising: a base plate (12; 112) adapted to be assembled to a door; a body (11; 111) comprising a housing part (11a1, 11a2; 111a) formed on one side thereof, the housing part (11a1, 11a2; 111a) being covered with the base plate (12; 112) on one side thereof; a latch (14; 114) housed in the housing part (11a1, 11a2; 111a) of the body (11; 111) and rotatably supported on the base plate (12; 112) via a first support shaft (18; 118), the latch (14; 114) being adapted to be pushed to rotate by a striker on a vehicle body side; a latch return spring (S1; S11) housed in the housing part (11a1, 11a2; 111a) of the body (11; 111), for biasing the latch (14; 114) toward a return position thereof; a pawl (15; 115) housed in the housing part (11a1, 11a2; 111a) of the body (11; 111) at a position below the latch (14; 114) in mounted position and rotatably supported on the base plate (12; 112) via a second support shaft (19; 119), the pawl (15; 115) being engageable with the latch (14; 114) to inhibit the latch (14; 114) to pivot in a door opening direction; and a pawl return spring (S2; S12) for biasing the pawl (15; 115) toward a return position thereof, characterized in that the housing part (11a1, 11a2; 111a) of the body is opened downward at a position below the pawl (15; 115) in mounted position, and the pawl return spring (S2; S12) is assembled to a spring mounting part (11b; 111b) formed on another side of the body (11; 111) at a position spaced downward from a rotational support part (19; 119) of the pawl (15; 115) in mounted position, the pawl return spring (S2; S12) comprises a pawl-side end part (S2c; S12c) that enters the housing part (11a1, 11a2; 111a) of the body (11; 111) through a through hole (11k; 111k) provided in the body (11; 111), and engages with the pawl (15; 115). a base plate (12; 112) adapted to be assembled to a door; a body (11; 111) comprising a housing part (11a1, 11a2; 111a) formed on one side thereof, the housing part (11a1, 11a2; 111a) being covered with the base plate (12; 112) on one side thereof; a latch (14; 114) housed in the housing part (11a1, 11a2; 111a) of the body (11; 111) and rotatably supported on the base plate (12; 112) via a first support shaft (18; 118), the latch (14; 114) being adapted to be pushed to rotate by a striker on a vehicle body side; a latch return spring (S1; S11) housed in the housing part (11a1, 11a2; 111a) of the body (11; 111), for biasing the latch (14; 114) toward a return position thereof; a pawl (15; 115) housed in the housing part (11a1, 11a2; 111a) of the body (11; 111) at a position below the latch (14; 114) in mounted position and rotatably supported on the base plate (12; 112) via a second support shaft (19; 119), the pawl (15; 115) being engageable with the latch (14; 114) to inhibit the latch (14; 114) to pivot in a door opening direction; and a pawl return spring (S2; S12) for biasing the pawl (15; 115) toward a return position thereof, characterized in that the housing part (11a1, 11a2; 111a) of the body is opened downward at a position below the pawl (15; 115) in mounted position, and the pawl return spring (S2; S12) is assembled to a spring mounting part (11b; 111b) formed on another side of the body (11; 111) at a position spaced downward from a rotational support part (19; 119) of the pawl (15; 115) in mounted position, the pawl return spring (S2; S12) comprises a pawl-side end part (S2c; S12c) that enters the housing part (11a1, 11a2; 111a) of the body (11; 111) through a through hole (11k; 111k) provided in the body (11; 111), and engages with the pawl (15; 115).