An electric power steering apparatus that calculates a current command value (Iref1) based on a steering torque (Th) and a vehicle speed (vel), drives a motor by means of said current command value (Iref1), and assist-controls a steering system by a driving and a controlling of said motor, comprising: an active-return control section that calculates a return control current (Irc) based on a steering angle (θ), said vehicle speed (vel) and a motor angular velocity/Gr ratio, and drives said motor by means of a compensated-current command value (Iref3a) obtained by subtracting said return control current from said current command value, wherein said active-return control section comprises: a base-return control current (Ibr) calculating section that calculates a base-return control current based on said steering angle and said vehicle speed; a target steering velocity calculating section that calculates a target steering velocity (ωt) based on said steering angle and said vehicle speed; a return control gain calculating section (104,105,110) that obtains a deviation between said target steering velocity and said motor angular velocity/Gr ratio, sign-processes said deviation, and calculates a return control gain (Gc) by using control calculations of at least two among a P-control calculation, an I-control calculation and a D-control calculation; a limiter that limits a maximum value of said return control gain; and a correcting section that corrects said base-return control current with an output gain (Grl) of said limiter and outputs said return control current. an active-return control section that calculates a return control current (Irc) based on a steering angle (θ), said vehicle speed (vel) and a motor angular velocity/Gr ratio, and drives said motor by means of a compensated-current command value (Iref3a) obtained by subtracting said return control current from said current command value, wherein said active-return control section comprises: a base-return control current (Ibr) calculating section that calculates a base-return control current based on said steering angle and said vehicle speed; a target steering velocity calculating section that calculates a target steering velocity (ωt) based on said steering angle and said vehicle speed; a return control gain calculating section (104,105,110) that obtains a deviation between said target steering velocity and said motor angular velocity/Gr ratio, sign-processes said deviation, and calculates a return control gain (Gc) by using control calculations of at least two among a P-control calculation, an I-control calculation and a D-control calculation; a limiter that limits a maximum value of said return control gain; and a correcting section that corrects said base-return control current with an output gain (Grl) of said limiter and outputs said return control current. a base-return control current (Ibr) calculating section that calculates a base-return control current based on said steering angle and said vehicle speed; a target steering velocity calculating section that calculates a target steering velocity (ωt) based on said steering angle and said vehicle speed; a return control gain calculating section (104,105,110) that obtains a deviation between said target steering velocity and said motor angular velocity/Gr ratio, sign-processes said deviation, and calculates a return control gain (Gc) by using control calculations of at least two among a P-control calculation, an I-control calculation and a D-control calculation; a limiter that limits a maximum value of said return control gain; and a correcting section that corrects said base-return control current with an output gain (Grl) of said limiter and outputs said return control current.