A wireless communication apparatus for a vehicle includes a receiver, a distance calculation section, and a reception frequency changing section. The receiver receives information transmitted from each external communication apparatus located outside of a host vehicle via wireless communication. The distance calculation section calculates a distance between the host vehicle and each outside target to which the external communication apparatus is provided based on position determination information when the information transmitted from the external communication apparatus includes the position determination information. A position of the outside target can be specified based on the position determination information. The reception frequency changing section decreases an information reception frequency of the receiver in accordance with an increase in the distance between the host vehicle and one of the outside targets closest to the host vehicle.