A method for producing a dialkyl carbonate and a diol, comprising: (a) effecting a transesterification reaction between a cyclic carbonate and an aliphatic monohydric alcohol in the presence of a transesterification catalyst in a continuous multi-stage distillation column, thereby obtaining a reaction mixture containing a product dialkyl carbonate and a product diol, (b) withdrawing from said reaction mixture a dialkyl carbonate-containing liquid from the upper portion of the continuous multi-stage distillation column as a low boiling point mixture in a gaseous form, followed by separation of the dialkyl carbonate from the dialkyl carbonate-containing liquid, and (c) withdrawing from said reaction mixture a diol-containing liquid from the lower portion of the continuous multi-stage distillation column as a high boiling point mixture in a liquid form, followed by separation of the diol from the diol-containing liquid, wherein, before the diol purification step, the unreacted cyclic carbonate contained in the high boiling point mixture is separated therefrom by etherification with a diol and, then, the remaining part of the high boiling point mixture is introduced into the diol purification step, said steps (b) and (c) being performed in either order or simultaneously, wherein: said cyclic carbonate contains a cyclic ether represented by the formula below in an amount of from 10 to 3,000 ppm by weight, said product dialkyl carbonate contains a carbonate ether represented by the formula below in an amount of not more than 10,000 ppm by weight, and the conversion of the cyclic carbonate is in the range of from 95 to 99.999%, wherein R 1 represents a divalent group represented by the formula: -(CH 2) m - wherein m is an integer of from 2 to 6, and at least one hydrogen atom of R 1 is optionally replaced by at least one substituent group selected from the group consisting of a C 1-10 alkyl group and a C 6-10 aryl group, and R 2 OR 1 OCOOR 2 wherein R 1 is as defined above for formula, R 2 represents a C 1-12 monovalent aliphatic group, and at least one hydrogen atom of R 2 is optionally replaced by at least one substituent group selected from the group consisting of a C 1-10 alkyl group and a C 6-10 aryl group. (a) effecting a transesterification reaction between a cyclic carbonate and an aliphatic monohydric alcohol in the presence of a transesterification catalyst in a continuous multi-stage distillation column, thereby obtaining a reaction mixture containing a product dialkyl carbonate and a product diol, (b) withdrawing from said reaction mixture a dialkyl carbonate-containing liquid from the upper portion of the continuous multi-stage distillation column as a low boiling point mixture in a gaseous form, followed by separation of the dialkyl carbonate from the dialkyl carbonate-containing liquid, and (c) withdrawing from said reaction mixture a diol-containing liquid from the lower portion of the continuous multi-stage distillation column as a high boiling point mixture in a liquid form, followed by separation of the diol from the diol-containing liquid, wherein, before the diol purification step, the unreacted cyclic carbonate contained in the high boiling point mixture is separated therefrom by etherification with a diol and, then, the remaining part of the high boiling point mixture is introduced into the diol purification step, said cyclic carbonate contains a cyclic ether represented by the formula below in an amount of from 10 to 3,000 ppm by weight, said product dialkyl carbonate contains a carbonate ether represented by the formula below in an amount of not more than 10,000 ppm by weight, and the conversion of the cyclic carbonate is in the range of from 95 to 99.999%, wherein R 1 represents a divalent group represented by the formula: -(CH 2) m - wherein m is an integer of from 2 to 6, and at least one hydrogen atom of R 1 is optionally replaced by at least one substituent group selected from the group consisting of a C 1-10 alkyl group and a C 6-10 aryl group, and R 2 OR 1 OCOOR 2 wherein R 1 is as defined above for formula, R 2 represents a C 1-12 monovalent aliphatic group, and at least one hydrogen atom of R 2 is optionally replaced by at least one substituent group selected from the group consisting of a C 1-10 alkyl group and a C 6-10 aryl group.