Abstract: In the substrate inspection apparatus 2 for inspecting a formation state of the pattern area 20 formed on the printed circuit board 1, since the inside area data generation means 7 for generating inspection data of the inside area 21b of the pattern area 20 to be inspected, the outside area data generation means 10 for generating inspection data in the ring-shaped area 22b of the outside, and the inside/outside determination means 9 and 11 for determining whether the pattern area is defective or not defective by comparing the generated inside area data and the outside area data with the predetermined reference data are provided, by applying a relaxed inspection reference to the inside of the pattern area 20 where a relatively large defect is allowed and applying a strict inspection reference to the outside of the pattern area 20 where even a fine defect is not allowed, it is possible to adequately detect a defect.