A process for coating printed circuit boards is described, comprising the following process steps: the printed circuit boards on the coating side are kept at room temperature and, as appropriate, are heated to approximately 120.degree. C.; then in a first step, a preferably photopolymerisable, meltable, low-molecular-weight coating composition that preferably has an average molecular weight of from 500 to 1500 and that is highly viscous to solid at room temperature is coated in a thickness of approximately from 10 .mu.m to 200 .mu.m on to the surface(s) of the printed circuit board to be coated; in a second step, a second, high-molecular-weight, photopolymerisable coating composition preferably having an average molecular weight of from 2000 to 10000 is applied in a thickness of from 2 .mu.m to 20 .mu.m over the first layer; and the printed circuit boards so coated are cooled to room temperature and the two-layer photopolymerisable coating is exposed, preferably in contact with a mask, is developed and is cured fully. An apparatus for carrying out the process outlined above is also described.