A defect candidate area extraction part determines whether or not each object pattern divisional area obtained by dividing picked-up image data of a printed board having through holes (holes) has a different portion exceeding a prescribed allowance between the same and a positionally corresponding area of a master pattern thereby determining whether or not each object pattern divisional area is a defect candidate and extracting a defect candidate area. Further, a defect determination part determines whether or not each through hole is defective on the basis of a result of comparison between hole information as to the through hole present in the object pattern divisional area extracted from the plurality of object pattern divisional areas as the defect candidate area and hole information as to a through hole present in an area of the master pattern corresponding to the defect candidate area. Thus provided is a hole inspection apparatus capable of correctly and efficiently inspecting holes.