A probe apparatus can suppress a spark from occurring near a wafer surface simply and efficiently when inspecting electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device at wafer level. A spark preventing device 50 mounted in the probe apparatus includes a surrounding member 52 which surrounds probe needles 24G and 24S between a probe card 16 and a mounting table 12; and a gas supply device 54 configured to supply a gas to a vicinity of the probe needles 24G and 24S through an inside or a vicinity of the surrounding member 52 to form an atmosphere of a preset pressure higher than an atmospheric pressure in the vicinity of the probe needles 24G and 24S when inspecting the electrical characteristics of each chip on a semiconductor wafer W. A contact plate 34 also serves as the surrounding member 52.