In the field of electronic reproduction technology, an apparatus for clamping and holding a printing plate on the surface of an exposure drum in a printing plate exposer includes a clamping apparatus for the front edge of the printing plate. The clamping apparatus has actuating elements that are accommodated in the interior of the exposure drum. Only the clamping bars that clamp the printing plate fixedly protrude slightly beyond the drum surface. Terminating elements are provided for holding the rear edge of the printing plate, which terminating elements can be displaced in the suction grooves of the drum surface and primarily restrict the vacuum that draws the printing plate onto the drum surface to the surface below the printing plate. Additionally, the terminating elements are provided with a roof element that protrudes beyond the rear edge of the printing plate and, thus, encloses the rear edge in the gap between the roof element and the exposure drum without, however, clamping it fixedly. Accordingly, devices for locking the terminating elements in their circumferential position are not required.