A control apparatus for an automatic transmission has a control unit which, when a selector lever is shifted from a forward drive gear range to a reverse gear range when the vehicle speed is not lower than a first predetermined speed, prevents the gear stage from being changed to that corresponding to the reverse gear range until the vehicle speed has fallen to a speed not greater than a second predetermined speed lower than the first predetermined speed. The control unit allows the gear stage to be changed to that corresponding to the reverse gear range if the selector lever is shifted to the reverse gear range when the vehicle speed is lower than the first predetermined speed. This control apparatus, therefore, ensures that the gear stage can be changed to that corresponding to the reverse gear range only when the driver intentionally shifts the selector lever from one of the forward drive gear ranges to the reverse gear range.