The effects of sintering atmosphere and dopant addition on the behavior of densification and grain growth of SnO2 ceramics were investigated with consideration of defect chemistry. CoO and Nb2O5 were chosen as dopants, and oxygen and nitrogen were used for controlling of sintering atmospheres. With the decrease of oxygen partial pressure, densification was depressed due to evaporation of SnO2 ceramics. In the case of SnO2 sintering, the addition of CoO, which produced oxygen vacancy in SnO2 ceramics, led to acceleration of densification and grain growth. On the contrary, when Nb2O5 as a dopant producing Sn vacancy was added to SnO2 ceramics, densification and grain growth were simultaneously retarded. As results, it was conformed that diffusion of oxygen ions was rate determinant in densification and grain growth of SnO2 ceramics.