An apparatus for sterilizing cap-like closures for closing bottles includes a conveying system to move the cap-like closures through a treatment zone in which the cap-like closures are exposed to ultraviolet radiation for sterilization, the treatment zone having ultraviolet radiation sources for emitting ultraviolet light. Within the treatment zone, the conveying system includes a rotor that can be driven to rotate about a vertical rotor axis, and closure holders formed on a periphery of the rotor. Each closure holder is oriented with a longitudinal extension thereof in a direction of the rotor axis. The closure holders are configured for moving the cap-like closures vertically from top to bottom through the treatment zone on a treatment section between a closure supply and a closure discharge.