The objective of the present invention is to satisfy both a request to fully charge the battery and a request to implement idling stop. This vehicle control device, which is mounted in a vehicle having an engine and a battery capable of being charged by a generator driven by the driving force of the engine, is equipped with: an idling stop control unit (90) that stops the engine; an SOC change amount detection unit that detects the amount of change in the state of charge (SOC) of the battery; and an execution restriction unit (300) that permits and prohibits the stopping of the engine by the idling stop control unit (90) in accordance with the amount of change in the SOC. The execution restriction unit (300) of this vehicle control device determines the timing for the aforementioned permission and prohibition such that the amount of increase in the SOC when the engine is not stopped by the idling stop control unit is greater than the amount of decrease in the SOC when the engine is stopped.