A catalytic converter having an excellent purification efficiency and small pressure loss and a method for producing the same is provided. A catalytic converter comprises a catalyst coating layer which is coated on the surface of the partition walls of the honeycomb structural body having partition walls which divide and form a plurality of cells functioning as fluid passages. 10% or more of the plurality of the cells are plugged by the plug portions which are formed at the one end or the middle of the passage, the average maximum distance of image of the honeycomb structural body is 10 μm or more and the porosity of the honeycomb structural body is 40% or more, the catalyst coating layer contains at least one oxide selected from the group consisting of alumina, ceria, titania, silica and zirconia, and also a catalyst containing at least one precious metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, rhodium and palladium, or metal exchanged zeolite or vanadium is supported in the catalyst coating layer as the catalytic active constituent, the average maximum distance of image of the catalyst coating layer is 10 μm or more, and the porosity of the catalyst coating layer is 40% or more.