An exhaust gas purification apparatus for an internal combustion engine , the exhaust gas purification apparatus comprising: a selective catalytic reduction catalyst arranged in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine , the selective catalytic reduction catalyst including transition metal ions for reducing NO X in exhaust gas with NH 3 as a reducing agent; a heater configured to heat the selective catalytic reduction catalyst; and an electronic control unit configured to determine temperature of the selective catalytic reduction catalyst, and execute recovery processing when NO X does not flow into the selective catalytic reduction catalyst and the temperature of the selective catalytic reduction catalyst is below a first temperature that is a temperature causing exhibition of valence recovery of the transition metal ions, wherein valence recovery refers to recovery of ionic valence of the transition metal ions to the valence necessary for NOx reduction through reoxidation of the transition metal ions, the recovery processing being processing of controlling the heater so as to heat the selective catalytic reduction catalyst up to the first temperature or above and to maintain the selective catalytic reduction catalyst at or above the first temperature for a prescribed period; and wherein the electronic control unit is configured to execute the recovery processing with shutdown of the internal combustion engine as a trigger. a selective catalytic reduction catalyst arranged in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine , the selective catalytic reduction catalyst including transition metal ions for reducing NO X in exhaust gas with NH 3 as a reducing agent; a heater configured to heat the selective catalytic reduction catalyst; and an electronic control unit configured to determine temperature of the selective catalytic reduction catalyst, and execute recovery processing when NO X does not flow into the selective catalytic reduction catalyst and the temperature of the selective catalytic reduction catalyst is below a first temperature that is a temperature causing exhibition of valence recovery of the transition metal ions, wherein valence recovery refers to recovery of ionic valence of the transition metal ions to the valence necessary for NOx reduction through reoxidation of the transition metal ions, the recovery processing being processing of controlling the heater so as to heat the selective catalytic reduction catalyst up to the first temperature or above and to maintain the selective catalytic reduction catalyst at or above the first temperature for a prescribed period; and determine temperature of the selective catalytic reduction catalyst, and execute recovery processing when NO X does not flow into the selective catalytic reduction catalyst and the temperature of the selective catalytic reduction catalyst is below a first temperature that is a temperature causing exhibition of valence recovery of the transition metal ions, wherein valence recovery refers to recovery of ionic valence of the transition metal ions to the valence necessary for NOx reduction through reoxidation of the transition metal ions, the recovery processing being processing of controlling the heater so as to heat the selective catalytic reduction catalyst up to the first temperature or above and to maintain the selective catalytic reduction catalyst at or above the first temperature for a prescribed period; and wherein the electronic control unit is configured to execute the recovery processing with shutdown of the internal combustion engine as a trigger. <EOS>