A brake system for a vehicle includes an electrically operated parking brake drive device which generates an operating force for operating the wheel brakes or dedicated parking brakes in response to energization, and which operates even upon cancellation of the energization while in the operated state. A braking force related amount detector detects a physical quantity related to a braking force exhibited by each of the hydraulic pressure operated wheel brakes. When a detected physical quantity exceeds a reference value in a stopped state of the vehicle, a controller energizes the electrically operated parking brake drive device. Thus, the frequency of operation of the electrically operated parking brake drive device is decreased while eliminating inconvenient operations required to operate the electrically operated parking brake drive device, thereby reducing noise and improving durability.