An engine control apparatus includes an engine control unit that is configured to control a ring gear, a starting device and a pinion gear. The engine control unit is further configured to perform a control to engage the ring gear and pinion gear with each other in an idling stop state, and to control a pinion gear driver. The pinion gear driver actuates the pinion gear to disengage from the ring gear. In particular, the pinion gear driver actuates the pinion gear to disengage from the ring gear while the ring gear is not rotated and while a starter motor of the starting device is rotated or while injectors of an engine are caused to inject fuel into cylinders of the engine to ignite an air-fuel mixture therein, so as to release engagement of the pinion and ring gears.