A locking apparatus for a shift lever in an automatic transmission of a vehicle which permits the shift lever to move from a vehicle non-driving position to a vehicle driving position by means of an electrically operated member, such as a solenoid, in the presence of a predetermined condition such as that of applying a brake pedal. When the shift lever is located in the non-driving position, a detent pin for inhibiting the shift lever from shifting is engaged with a lock recess formed in a lock member and the lock member is held in a lock position by means for the electrically operated member. Even though the electrically operated member fails to function due to a malfunction or the like, an occupant can manually shift the shift lever from the non-driving position to the driving position in order to move the vehicle.