A vehicle control apparatus to be applied to a vehicle includes an abnormality detection unit, a notification control unit, and an automatic stop control unit. The abnormality detection unit detects an abnormal condition of a driver who drives the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling. The notification control unit performs notification control to make a notification of the abnormal condition detected by the abnormality detection unit. The automatic stop control unit starts first vehicle stop control of the vehicle when detecting no operation to cancel the notification control within a predetermined period of time after the notification control unit starts the notification control. The automatic stop control unit starts second vehicle stop control of the vehicle without waiting for an elapse of the predetermined period of time when detecting a vehicle stop request operation performed by a passenger in the vehicle within the predetermined period of time.