diff --git a/cpp/src/parquet/arrow/arrow_reader_writer_test.cc b/cpp/src/parquet/arrow/arrow_reader_writer_test.cc
index d858962d472..4dc20d8c716 100644
--- a/cpp/src/parquet/arrow/arrow_reader_writer_test.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/parquet/arrow/arrow_reader_writer_test.cc
@@ -3571,6 +3571,15 @@ static const std::vector<FixedSizeListTestCase> kFixedSizeListTestCases = {
           {"root": [[1, 2], null, [3, 4]]},
           {"root": null},
           {"root": [null, [5, 6]]},
+          {"root": []}])"},
+    // GH-49683: zero-sized lists
+    {.type = ::arrow::fixed_size_list(::arrow::float32(), /*list_size=*/0), .json = R"([
+          {"root": []},
+          {"root": []},
+          {"root": []}])"},
+    {.type = ::arrow::fixed_size_list(::arrow::float32(), /*list_size=*/0), .json = R"([
+          {"root": []},
+          {"root": null},
           {"root": []}])"}};
 
 TEST_P(TestFixedSizeListRoundTrip, RoundTrip) {
diff --git a/cpp/src/parquet/arrow/path_internal.cc b/cpp/src/parquet/arrow/path_internal.cc
index c626dcbf48b..d61a69d2e16 100644
--- a/cpp/src/parquet/arrow/path_internal.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/parquet/arrow/path_internal.cc
@@ -846,8 +846,10 @@ class PathBuilder {
     // well.
     info_.max_def_level++;
     info_.max_rep_level++;
-    info_.path.emplace_back(FixedSizeListNode(FixedSizedRangeSelector{list_size},
-                                              info_.max_rep_level, info_.max_def_level));
+    // Lists are empty only when list_size == 0 (GH-49683).
+    info_.path.emplace_back(
+        FixedSizeListNode(FixedSizedRangeSelector{list_size}, info_.max_rep_level,
+                          /*def_level_if_empty=*/info_.max_def_level - 1));
     nullable_in_parent_ = array.list_type()->value_field()->nullable();
     if (array.offset() > 0) {
       return VisitInline(*array.values()->Slice(array.value_offset(0)));