In a driving assistance apparatus, a start determiner determines whether or not during travel in a no-passing zone an own vehicle has laterally moved from a rearward position to a lateral position relative to the preceding vehicle, and if the own vehicle has laterally moved, then determine that the own vehicle has started passing driving. If the own vehicle has started passing driving in the no-passing zone, an alert controller starts alerting using an alert device at a start of passing driving. A situation determiner determines whether or not a change of situation from a blocking situation to a non blocking situation has occurred after the start of passing driving. If the change of situation from the blocking situation to the non blocking situation has occurred, an alerting stopper stops alerting using the alert device.