A vehicle control apparatus includes a first section that recognizes a lane boundary line of a lane in which a vehicle is traveling. A second section recognizes a present position of a predetermined reference point of the vehicle. A third section calculates a predicted position of the reference point, wherein the predicted position is a predetermined interval ahead of the present position. A fourth calculates an imaginary lane boundary line, wherein the imaginary lane boundary line is tangent to the lane boundary line at a point close to the predicted position. A fifth section performs a control of preventing the vehicle from deviating from the lane by controlling the vehicle depending on positional relationship between the vehicle and the lane boundary line. A sixth section selectively permits and suppresses the control depending on positional relationship among the imaginary lane boundary line, the present position, and the predicted position.