The present invention discloses a shutdown method of a fixed bed residual oil hydrogenation apparatus. The shutdown method comprises that: the apparatus is subjected to temperature decrease and amount decrease, hydrogenation tail oil enters the apparatus along the sequence opposite to the normal operation feeding sequence of the apparatus, wax oil is switched to wash the apparatus after the hydrogenation tail oil passes through the whole reaction system, the system is cooled after the washing with the wax oil is qualified, washing with diesel fuel is performed, the whole system is cooled after the apparatus washing with the diesel fuel is qualified, the diesel fuel feeding is stopped, hydrogen gas purging is performed, the whole apparatus is subjected to temperature decrease and pressure decrease after the hydrogen gas purging is performed for a certain time, nitrogen gas purging is performed, and the apparatus shutdown is completed. With the shutdown method of the present invention, the apparatus washing and the catalyst washing are easily achieved, and the catalyst disassembly is easily achieved.