To provide a plate material cutting machine capable of shortening the time required for cutting work without increasing impact sound and without deteriorating machining precision.

This plate material cutting machine is provided with a plate material feeding mechanism 6 for pinching and feeding a plate material W to a cutting part 23, a plate material holding mechanism 30 for holding the plate material W by a plate material holding member 31 near the cutting part 23, and a standby height control means 47 for changing the elevating standby position of the plate material holding member 31. The standby height control means 47 controls the elevating height position to the first height position H1 in which a work holder 6a can moved under the plate material holding means 31 when the work holder 6a discharges remaining materials, and it controls the elevating height position to the second height position H2 lower than the first height position H1 when the plate material W is fed in cutting.