A vehicle control device includes: an abnormality detecting portion that detects an abnormality in at least part of a shift position detection portion detecting a shift position; a shift-operatoin determining portion that determines, based on a detection signal from the shift position detection portion, whether a shift operating device is shift-operated or not by a driver, and a vehicle movement prevention control portion that, in a case where a movement of a vehicle is prevented by an actuator and in a case where the abnormality in part of the shift position detection portion is detected by the abnormality detecting portion, permits the actuator to release the prevention of the movement of the vehicle if it is determined by the shift-operation determining portion that the shift operating device is shift-operated by the driver.