Provided is a control apparatus for an internal combustion engine which can successfully determine whether or not a failure concerning a stopping operation of an exhaust valve has occurred, without the need of providing a dedicated sensor for the failure determination. An intake variable valve operating apparatus (62) and an exhaust variable valve operating apparatus (64) are included that have valve stop mechanisms capable of switching each operational state of an intake valve (58) and an exhaust valve (60) between a valve operating state and a valve closed/stopped state. It is determined whether or not a failure concerning a stopping operation of the exhaust valve (60) from the valve operating state to the valve closed/stopped state has occurred, on the basis of the magnitude of the negative torque of when an execution request that is accompanied by a valve stop request to switch each operational state of the intake valve (58) and the exhaust valve (60) from the valve operating state to the valve closed/stopped state has been issued, in a case in which it is determined that a failure concerning the stopping operation of the intake valve (58) has not occurred.