A method for manufacturing semiconductor devices includes: forming a plurality of semiconductor devices in a first region of a primary surface of a wafer; forming a plurality of cleave initiation portions in a second region of a primary surface different from the first region; and cleaving the wafer sequentially, using the plurality of cleave initiation portions as initiation points, starting from a cleave initiation portion that is relatively difficult to cleave among the plurality of cleave initiation portions. Forming the plurality of cleave initiation portions includes forming the plurality of first grooves by etching portions of the second region. Due to this, the yield and the manufacturing efficiency for semiconductor devices can be enhanced.