An engine starter for an engine having an idling stop function comprising: a pinion configured to be engaged with a ring gear coupled to the engine; a solenoid switch connected in parallel to a starter motor, wherein the solenoid switch is configured to move the pinion to a side of the ring gear by using a current supplied from a battery; the starter motor configured to rotate the pinion by using the current; and a starter controller configured to supply a necessary current to the starter motor and the solenoid switch based on a signal from a control device that issues a command for the engine to start or restart after an idling stop of the engine, wherein the starter controller includes a starter motor load determining unit which is configured to determine a load state of the starter motor based on an inter-terminal voltage of the starter motor when the starter motor is rotated according to the signal; wherein the starter motor load determining unit is further configured to determine that the starter motor is in an overload state when the inter-terminal voltage of the starter motor reaches a predetermined state relative to a reference voltage; and wherein when the starter motor load determining unit has determined that the starter motor is in the overload state, energization from the starter controller to the starter motor is restricted, wherein when the energization restriction has been performed for a predetermined time, the energization restriction is canceled, and a test current is flown to the starter motor based on the command, and when it is determined that the starter motor is in the overload state, the energization to the starter motor is restricted again. a pinion configured to be engaged with a ring gear coupled to the engine; a solenoid switch connected in parallel to a starter motor, wherein the solenoid switch is configured to move the pinion to a side of the ring gear by using a current supplied from a battery; the starter motor configured to rotate the pinion by using the current; and a starter controller configured to supply a necessary current to the starter motor and the solenoid switch based on a signal from a control device that issues a command for the engine to start or restart after an idling stop of the engine, wherein the starter controller includes a starter motor load determining unit which is configured to determine a load state of the starter motor based on an inter-terminal voltage of the starter motor when the starter motor is rotated according to the signal; wherein the starter motor load determining unit is further configured to determine that the starter motor is in an overload state when the inter-terminal voltage of the starter motor reaches a predetermined state relative to a reference voltage; and wherein when the starter motor load determining unit has determined that the starter motor is in the overload state, energization from the starter controller to the starter motor is restricted, wherein when the energization restriction has been performed for a predetermined time, the energization restriction is canceled, and a test current is flown to the starter motor based on the command, and when it is determined that the starter motor is in the overload state, the energization to the starter motor is restricted again.