It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus and a printing method which can perform an appropriate printing operation on a print medium while keeping an ink ejection range to a minimum required even when the print medium transported is deviated from a theoretical position, and which can also reduce a running cost and ink mist. Thus, the present invention is characterized by determining the actual position of the print medium transported to the printing position; based on the determined print medium position, setting an area slightly larger than the print medium lying area as a print area; and performing the printing operation on that area.