Abstract: A vehicle anti-theft apparatus and method can prevent the theft of a vehicle without increasing costs, and hence the illegal use of the theft vehicle. The apparatus includes a smart key carried by a user, and a smart keyless control device installed on the vehicle. The smart key includes a storage section for storing identification information and use time limit information of the vehicle. The smart keyless control device reads the identification information and the use time limit information stored in a memory, and authenticates the vehicle user based on the identification information and the use time limit information upon use of the vehicle. The use of the vehicle is permitted when the identification information and the authentication identification information set beforehand in the smart keyless control device coincide with each other, and when a current time is within a use time limit of the use time limit information.