A control apparatus for a hybrid electric vehicle includes: an engine control portion for controlling an operation state of an engine; and a driving-mode control portion for controlling the vehicle so as to realize selected at least one of driving modes. The driving modes include a low-gear all-wheel driving mode and a high-gear all-wheel driving mode. In a case in which the low-gear all-wheel driving mode is selected in the high-gear all-wheel driving mode when the engine is in a stopped state with a vehicle power transmission apparatus being in a non-driving position that disables transmission of a drive power, the engine control portion maintains the stopped state of the engine until completion of switching from the high-gear all-wheel driving mode to the low-gear all-wheel driving mode, and starts the engine after the completion of the switching from the high-gear all-wheel driving mode to the low-gear all-wheel driving mode.