This publication addresses inspection basics, concepts and methods for planning inspection activities, performing inspections of safety related structures, systems and components, evaluating the safety significance of inspection findings, and documenting the results. It presents high level considerations for the inspection of selected programmatic areas including plant operations, radiation protection, fire protection and maintenance activities at nuclear power plants (NPPs). The publication focuses on the regulatory inspection of operating NPPs and, where applicable, describes how the same inspection techniques can be applied to facilities undergoing construction, preoperational testing and decommissioning. The general techniques described may also be used in the inspection of other types of nuclear facility.