A knocking control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, which is applied to an internal combustion engine including a variable valve mechanism that can vary a valve characteristic of at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve, and which changes an engine control amount based on a result of a knocking determination as to whether knocking occurs, includes a controller which performs the knocking determination as to whether knocking occurs based on an output signal from a knock sensor that detects a vibration occurring in the internal combustion engine, and which changes a mode of the knocking determination according to a change in a combustion state of an air-fuel mixture, the change being caused by a change in the valve characteristic.