diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/array/array_test.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/array/array_test.cc
index 6331105af8998..dc1bd62474753 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/array/array_test.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/array/array_test.cc
@@ -364,6 +364,7 @@ TEST_F(TestArray, TestMakeArrayOfNull) {
       dense_union(union_fields1, union_type_codes),
       dense_union(union_fields2, union_type_codes),
       smallint(),  // extension type
+      list_extension_type(), // nested extension type
       // clang-format on
   };
 
@@ -371,6 +372,7 @@ TEST_F(TestArray, TestMakeArrayOfNull) {
     for (auto type : types) {
       ARROW_SCOPED_TRACE("type = ", type->ToString());
       ASSERT_OK_AND_ASSIGN(auto array, MakeArrayOfNull(type, length));
+      ASSERT_EQ(array->type(), type);
       ASSERT_OK(array->ValidateFull());
       ASSERT_EQ(array->length(), length);
       if (is_union(type->id())) {
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/array/util.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/array/util.cc
index 62c9fa20c34c2..413182de0df77 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/array/util.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/array/util.cc
@@ -456,19 +456,19 @@ class NullArrayFactory {
   template <typename T>
   enable_if_var_size_list<T, Status> Visit(const T& type) {
     out_->buffers.resize(2, buffer_);
-    ARROW_ASSIGN_OR_RAISE(out_->child_data[0], CreateChild(0, /*length=*/0));
+    ARROW_ASSIGN_OR_RAISE(out_->child_data[0], CreateChild(type, 0, /*length=*/0));
     return Status::OK();
   }
 
   Status Visit(const FixedSizeListType& type) {
     ARROW_ASSIGN_OR_RAISE(out_->child_data[0],
-                          CreateChild(0, length_ * type.list_size()));
+                          CreateChild(type, 0, length_ * type.list_size()));
     return Status::OK();
   }
 
   Status Visit(const StructType& type) {
     for (int i = 0; i < type_->num_fields(); ++i) {
-      ARROW_ASSIGN_OR_RAISE(out_->child_data[i], CreateChild(i, length_));
+      ARROW_ASSIGN_OR_RAISE(out_->child_data[i], CreateChild(type, i, length_));
     }
     return Status::OK();
   }
@@ -498,7 +498,7 @@ class NullArrayFactory {
       child_length = 1;
     }
     for (int i = 0; i < type_->num_fields(); ++i) {
-      ARROW_ASSIGN_OR_RAISE(out_->child_data[i], CreateChild(i, child_length));
+      ARROW_ASSIGN_OR_RAISE(out_->child_data[i], CreateChild(type, i, child_length));
     }
     return Status::OK();
   }
@@ -511,6 +511,7 @@ class NullArrayFactory {
   }
 
   Status Visit(const ExtensionType& type) {
+    out_->child_data.resize(type.storage_type()->num_fields());
     RETURN_NOT_OK(VisitTypeInline(*type.storage_type(), this));
     return Status::OK();
   }
@@ -519,8 +520,9 @@ class NullArrayFactory {
     return Status::NotImplemented("construction of all-null ", type);
   }
 
-  Result<std::shared_ptr<ArrayData>> CreateChild(int i, int64_t length) {
-    NullArrayFactory child_factory(pool_, type_->field(i)->type(), length);
+  Result<std::shared_ptr<ArrayData>> CreateChild(const DataType& type, int i,
+                                                 int64_t length) {
+    NullArrayFactory child_factory(pool_, type.field(i)->type(), length);
     child_factory.buffer_ = buffer_;
     return child_factory.Create();
   }
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/testing/extension_type.h b/cpp/src/arrow/testing/extension_type.h
index 5afe23400767b..338b4cb4da055 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/testing/extension_type.h
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/testing/extension_type.h
@@ -54,6 +54,11 @@ class ARROW_TESTING_EXPORT SmallintArray : public ExtensionArray {
   using ExtensionArray::ExtensionArray;
 };
 
+class ARROW_TESTING_EXPORT ListExtensionArray : public ExtensionArray {
+ public:
+  using ExtensionArray::ExtensionArray;
+};
+
 class ARROW_TESTING_EXPORT SmallintType : public ExtensionType {
  public:
   SmallintType() : ExtensionType(int16()) {}
@@ -71,6 +76,23 @@ class ARROW_TESTING_EXPORT SmallintType : public ExtensionType {
   std::string Serialize() const override { return "smallint"; }
 };
 
+class ARROW_TESTING_EXPORT ListExtensionType : public ExtensionType {
+ public:
+  ListExtensionType() : ExtensionType(list(int32())) {}
+
+  std::string extension_name() const override { return "list-ext"; }
+
+  bool ExtensionEquals(const ExtensionType& other) const override;
+
+  std::shared_ptr<Array> MakeArray(std::shared_ptr<ArrayData> data) const override;
+
+  Result<std::shared_ptr<DataType>> Deserialize(
+      std::shared_ptr<DataType> storage_type,
+      const std::string& serialized) const override;
+
+  std::string Serialize() const override { return "list-ext"; }
+};
+
 class ARROW_TESTING_EXPORT DictExtensionType : public ExtensionType {
  public:
   DictExtensionType() : ExtensionType(dictionary(int8(), utf8())) {}
@@ -118,6 +140,9 @@ std::shared_ptr<DataType> uuid();
 ARROW_TESTING_EXPORT
 std::shared_ptr<DataType> smallint();
 
+ARROW_TESTING_EXPORT
+std::shared_ptr<DataType> list_extension_type();
+
 ARROW_TESTING_EXPORT
 std::shared_ptr<DataType> dict_extension_type();
 
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/testing/gtest_util.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/testing/gtest_util.cc
index 0517be236dce3..56ba94dba8aac 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/testing/gtest_util.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/testing/gtest_util.cc
@@ -797,6 +797,29 @@ Result<std::shared_ptr<DataType>> SmallintType::Deserialize(
   return std::make_shared<SmallintType>();
 }
 
+bool ListExtensionType::ExtensionEquals(const ExtensionType& other) const {
+  return (other.extension_name() == this->extension_name());
+}
+
+std::shared_ptr<Array> ListExtensionType::MakeArray(
+    std::shared_ptr<ArrayData> data) const {
+  DCHECK_EQ(data->type->id(), Type::EXTENSION);
+  DCHECK_EQ("list-ext", static_cast<const ExtensionType&>(*data->type).extension_name());
+  return std::make_shared<ListExtensionArray>(data);
+}
+
+Result<std::shared_ptr<DataType>> ListExtensionType::Deserialize(
+    std::shared_ptr<DataType> storage_type, const std::string& serialized) const {
+  if (serialized != "list-ext") {
+    return Status::Invalid("Type identifier did not match: '", serialized, "'");
+  }
+  if (!storage_type->Equals(*list(int32()))) {
+    return Status::Invalid("Invalid storage type for ListExtensionType: ",
+                           storage_type->ToString());
+  }
+  return std::make_shared<ListExtensionType>();
+}
+
 bool DictExtensionType::ExtensionEquals(const ExtensionType& other) const {
   return (other.extension_name() == this->extension_name());
 }
@@ -847,6 +870,10 @@ std::shared_ptr<DataType> uuid() { return std::make_shared<UuidType>(); }
 
 std::shared_ptr<DataType> smallint() { return std::make_shared<SmallintType>(); }
 
+std::shared_ptr<DataType> list_extension_type() {
+  return std::make_shared<ListExtensionType>();
+}
+
 std::shared_ptr<DataType> dict_extension_type() {
   return std::make_shared<DictExtensionType>();
 }