An in-vehicle information system including a portable information terminal and an in-vehicle device, wherein the information terminal comprises: a storage unit that stores a plurality of applications; a control unit that has a launch function to start-up any one of the applications stored in the storage unit and executes the application started up by the launch function in the foreground; a running application determination unit that determines an application that is executed by the control unit by a predetermined time interval; characterized by a comparison unit that compares a start-up application that is started up by the launch function and a running application that is determined by the running application determination unit; and a restriction information transmission unit that transmits to the in-vehicle device restriction information to restrict action imposed on the running application while a vehicle is in a traveling state based upon a result of the comparison by the comparison unit, wherein: the in-vehicle information system further comprises a decision-making unit that makes a decision as to whether or not the start-up application and the running application are identical with each other; and if it is decided by the decision-making unit that the start-up application and the running application are not identical with each other, the restriction information transmission unit transmits, to the in-vehicle device, predetermined default restriction information as the restriction information to restrict action imposed on the running application while the vehicle is in a traveling state. a storage unit that stores a plurality of applications; a control unit that has a launch function to start-up any one of the applications stored in the storage unit and executes the application started up by the launch function in the foreground; a running application determination unit that determines an application that is executed by the control unit by a predetermined time interval; characterized by a comparison unit that compares a start-up application that is started up by the launch function and a running application that is determined by the running application determination unit; and a restriction information transmission unit that transmits to the in-vehicle device restriction information to restrict action imposed on the running application while a vehicle is in a traveling state based upon a result of the comparison by the comparison unit, wherein: the in-vehicle information system further comprises a decision-making unit that makes a decision as to whether or not the start-up application and the running application are identical with each other; and if it is decided by the decision-making unit that the start-up application and the running application are not identical with each other, the restriction information transmission unit transmits, to the in-vehicle device, predetermined default restriction information as the restriction information to restrict action imposed on the running application while the vehicle is in a traveling state. the in-vehicle information system further comprises a decision-making unit that makes a decision as to whether or not the start-up application and the running application are identical with each other; and if it is decided by the decision-making unit that the start-up application and the running application are not identical with each other, the restriction information transmission unit transmits, to the in-vehicle device, predetermined default restriction information as the restriction information to restrict action imposed on the running application while the vehicle is in a traveling state.