A vehicle control device having an actuator operative to prevent a movement of a vehicle and a shift operating device including a shift position detection means detecting a shift position, the vehicle control device outputting, when the shift operating device is shift-operated to a predetermined shift position to release prevention of the movement of the vehicle, a control signal for permitting the actuator to release the prevention of the movement of the vehicle, the vehicle control device includes: an abnormality detecting means that detects an abnormality in at least part of the shift position detection means; a shift operation determining means that determines, based on a detection signal from the shift position detection means, whether the shift operating device is shift-operated or not by a driver, and a vehicle movement prevention control means that, in a case where the movement of the vehicle is prevented by the actuator and in a case where the abnormality in part of the shift position detection means is detected by the abnormality detecting means, permits the actuator to release the prevention of the movement of the vehicle if it is determined by the shift operation determining means that the shift operating device is shift-operated by the driver, the shift operation determining means determining that the shift operating device is shift-operated by the driver if the shift position changes from a predefined pre-operation position to a position other than the pre-operation position after the abnormality in part of the shift position detection means is detected by the abnormality detecting means.