A control apparatus for an automatic transmission in which a range from a forward range and a reverse range is selected by switching of a shift lever, and when a shift lever is erroneously operated between the forward range and the reverse range accomplishment of gear shift to the selected range by the shift lever is inhibited, further comprising: first erroneous operation determining means responsive to an operation to switch the shift lever from the forward range to the reverse range when a vehicle speed lies in a first high-speed driving state, for determining that the operation is an erroneous operation, and second erroneous operation determining means responsive to an operation to switch the shift lever from the reverse range to the forward range when the vehicle speed lies in a second high-speed driving state, for determining that the operation is an erroneous operation, wherein the first high-speed driving state is a state in which a vehicle speed is not less than a first predetermined value, and the second high-speed driving state is a state in which a vehicle speed is not less than a second predetermined value, first inhibiting means for inhibiting accomplishment of gear shift to a reverse gear position when said first erroneous operation determining means determines that the operation is an erroneous operation; second inhibiting means for inhibiting accomplishment of gear shift to a forward gear position when said second erroneous operation determining means determines that the operation is an erroneous operation; characterized by first permitting means for accomplishing gear shift to a gear position in a range selected by the shift lever without activating said second inhibiting means when the shift lever is switched from the reverse range to a range other than the reverse range while accomplishment of gear shift to a reverse gear position is inhibited by said first inhibiting means being in operation; and second permitting means for accomplishing gear shift to a gear position in a range selected by the shift lever without activating said first inhibiting means when the shift lever is switched from the forward range to a range other than the forward range while accomplishment of gear shift to a forward gear position is inhibited by said second inhibiting means being in operation, wherein the first high-speed driving state includes a state in which the vehicle speed continues to be not less than a third predetermined value lower than the first predetermined speed for a time period not less than a first predetermined time period, and the second high-speed driving state includes a state in which the vehicle speed continues to be not less than a fourth predetermined value lower than the second predetermined speed for time period not less than a second predetermined time period. first erroneous operation determining means responsive to an operation to switch the shift lever from the forward range to the reverse range when a vehicle speed lies in a first high-speed driving state, for determining that the operation is an erroneous operation, and second erroneous operation determining means responsive to an operation to switch the shift lever from the reverse range to the forward range when the vehicle speed lies in a second high-speed driving state, for determining that the operation is an erroneous operation, wherein the first high-speed driving state is a state in which a vehicle speed is not less than a first predetermined value, and the second high-speed driving state is a state in which a vehicle speed is not less than a second predetermined value, first inhibiting means for inhibiting accomplishment of gear shift to a reverse gear position when said first erroneous operation determining means determines that the operation is an erroneous operation; second inhibiting means for inhibiting accomplishment of gear shift to a forward gear position when said second erroneous operation determining means determines that the operation is an erroneous operation; characterized by first permitting means for accomplishing gear shift to a gear position in a range selected by the shift lever without activating said second inhibiting means when the shift lever is switched from the reverse range to a range other than the reverse range while accomplishment of gear shift to a reverse gear position is inhibited by said first inhibiting means being in operation; and second permitting means for accomplishing gear shift to a gear position in a range selected by the shift lever without activating said first inhibiting means when the shift lever is switched from the forward range to a range other than the forward range while accomplishment of gear shift to a forward gear position is inhibited by said second inhibiting means being in operation, wherein the first high-speed driving state includes a state in which the vehicle speed continues to be not less than a third predetermined value lower than the first predetermined speed for a time period not less than a first predetermined time period, and the second high-speed driving state includes a state in which the vehicle speed continues to be not less than a fourth predetermined value lower than the second predetermined speed for time period not less than a second predetermined time period.