This paper presents the effect of lightning impulse current on ZnO varistors(390[V], 6.5[kA]) used in low-voltage AC mains as a protective device against transient overvoltages. The electrical characteristics of ZnO varistors are deteriorated by overtime impulse current, and a deteriorated ZnO varistor is brought to a thermal runaway and finally destroyed even in normal operating voltage. Therefore, it is important to estimate the changes of the electrical characteristics of ZnO varistors. A lightning impulse current standardized in IEC 61000-4-5 is applied to the varistors to accelerate deterioration, and the energy applied to the varistor at each time is about 12 [J]. In the experiment, various parameters such as leakage current, reference voltage are measured with the number of applied impulse current. Also, micro-structure changes of the varistors after applying the lightning impulse current of 200 times are compared. The electrical characteristics of the varistors are degraded by overtime impulse current, showing increase in leakage current and decrease in reference voltage.