Abstract: A parking-brake operating device comprises a braking-force holding mechanism including a plate-like bracket having a ratchet wheel and mounted at a location adjacent a seat on a body floor, a swing arm mounted to the bracket for angular movement, and a ratchet pawl supported on the swing arm for angular movement and engageable with and disengageable from the ratchet wheel so as to hold the swing arm onto the bracket; an operating lever supported by the bracket coaxially with the swing arm and for angular movement, and having at least one opening; a support shaft mounted on the swing arm and loosely fitted in the opening so as to permit a predetermined quantity of relative movement between the swing arm and the operating lever; a link mechanism including a bell crank supported on the operating lever for angular movement, and a link element having its both ends which are connected respectively to one end of the bell crank and the ratchet pawl for angular movement; a release element mounted to the operating leve