A shift control apparatus for a vehicle (10; 100) provided with a drive power source (39; MG), and a step-variable transmission portion (20; 110) disposed in a power transmitting path between the drive power source and drive wheels (28; 116) and including a plurality of hydraulically operated coupling devices, the shift control apparatus controlling the step-variable transmission portion to implement a shifting action with an engaging action of the engaging-side coupling device to be brought into its engaged state to implement the shifting action, and a releasing action of the releasing-side coupling device to be brought into its released state, said shift control apparatus comprising: a shift control portion configured to control a shift-down action of the step-variable transmission portion (20; 110) in a predetermined mode of hydraulic control of the engaging-side and releasing-side coupling devices, and wherein the shift control portion is configured to control the engaging-side and releasing-side coupling devices in a non-vehicle-driving control mode during the shift-down action of the step-variable transmission portion (20; 110) in a non-driving state of the vehicle (10; 110), wherein a forward drive torque is not being transmitted from the drive power source (39, MG) to the step-variable transmission portion (20, 110) whereas a reverse drive torque is being transmitted from the drive wheels (28, 116) to the stap-variable transmission portion, the shift control portion is configured to switch the mode of hydraulic control from the non-vehicle-driving control mode to a vehicle-driving control mode where the vehicle is switched,during the shift-down action, from the non-driving state to a driving state, wherein a forward drive torque is transmitted from the drive power source (39, MG) to the step-variable transmission portion (20, 110), within a predetermined length of time (tα) after a moment of initiation of the shift-down action, and maintaining the non-vehicle-driving control mode where the vehicle is switched to the driving state after the predetermined length of time has passed from the moment of initiation of the shift-down action, while limiting a torque (Ti) of the drive power source during the shift-down action to a predetermined value (Tα) in the non-vehicle-driving control mode. a shift control portion configured to control a shift-down action of the step-variable transmission portion (20; 110) in a predetermined mode of hydraulic control of the engaging-side and releasing-side coupling devices, and wherein the shift control portion is configured to control the engaging-side and releasing-side coupling devices in a non-vehicle-driving control mode during the shift-down action of the step-variable transmission portion (20; 110) in a non-driving state of the vehicle (10; 110), wherein a forward drive torque is not being transmitted from the drive power source (39, MG) to the step-variable transmission portion (20, 110) whereas a reverse drive torque is being transmitted from the drive wheels (28, 116) to the stap-variable transmission portion, the shift control portion is configured to switch the mode of hydraulic control from the non-vehicle-driving control mode to a vehicle-driving control mode where the vehicle is switched,during the shift-down action, from the non-driving state to a driving state, wherein a forward drive torque is transmitted from the drive power source (39, MG) to the step-variable transmission portion (20, 110), within a predetermined length of time (tα) after a moment of initiation of the shift-down action, and maintaining the non-vehicle-driving control mode where the vehicle is switched to the driving state after the predetermined length of time has passed from the moment of initiation of the shift-down action, while limiting a torque (Ti) of the drive power source during the shift-down action to a predetermined value (Tα) in the non-vehicle-driving control mode.