A method for inspection of circuit boards is described which includes: a process of measuring surface-shape data of a circuit board on which inspection objects are placed; an approximated curved surface generation process for generating an approximated curved surface from the measured surface-shape data, which is an estimated surface-shape of the circuit board, on which no inspection object is placed; a process of subtracting said approximated curved surface from the measured surface-shape data; a region of interest determination process of determining regions which are different from the approximated curved surface in accordance with data obtained by said subtraction process; and a process of inspecting whether electronic parts placed on said circuit board and connecting materials for connecting the electronic parts are in a desired state or not.