A piling location recognizing apparatus and method for accurately determining a piling location using an optical sensor. The piling location recognizing apparatus includes an optical sensor moving unit configured to move on an installed moving line according to a predetermined angle with respect to a recognition target object, an optical sensor recognizing unit mounted on the optical sensor moving unit to acquire information on the recognition target object using an optical sensor, and a piling location calculating unit configured to calculate vertical location coordinates of the recognition target object on a basis of the acquired information on the recognition target object. Accordingly, despite environmental pollution or damage of an identification tag adhered to an object in a piling place in which objects are piled up, an in-yard location of the piled object can be accurately determined.