There is described a method for examining a value document while employing a digital image of the value document which comprises pixels, wherein the image is examined for the presence of at least one irregularity relating to a pre-specified property of the value document, when such an irregularity is found an examination region representing the irregularity is fixed in dependence on the size and/or position and/or form of the irregularity in the image, and for checking the irregularity only a part of those pixels of the digital image that correspond to the examination region is employed.