Vehicle control device

A vehicle control device (4) has first and second transmission circuits (11, 12) that communicate by radio with a portable unit (2) and also has a control section (14) that, when the portable unit is confirmed to be correct, engages in a permission mode that permits the start of an engine. The first and second transmission circuits (11, 12) transmit first and second request signals from first and second transmission antennas (11a, 12a) to first and second communicatable areas (A1, A2), respectively. When a back door (5e) is detected to be open, the control section does not permit the start of the engine even if an ID code signal is returned from the portable unit in response to the second request signal.