To provide a control device capable of securely preventing retreat of a vehicle at the time of execution of neutral control and of preventing or suppressing a shock at the time of return from the neutral state.

The control device for the vehicle automatic transmission executes neutral control to reduce transmission torque capacity of a clutch for transmitting torque to an output shaft and increase torque capacity of a brake for regulating the rotation of the output shaft, when a predetermined condition to stop the vehicle is achieved. The control device is provided with a torsion amount detection means (Steps S104, S106) for detecting torsional amount of a drive shaft transmitting power between the output shaft and a driving wheel and with a brake force setting means (Steps S109 to S112) for increasingly/decreasingly setting a target value of the torque capacity of the brake based on the torsional amount of the drive shaft detected by the torsion amount detection means.