Although many structures based on $SnO_2$ nanowires have been demonstrated, there is a limitation towards practical application due to the unwanted contact potential between the metal electrode and the $SnO_2$ nanowire. This is mostly due to the presence of the native oxide layer that acts as an insulator between the metal contact and the nanowire. In this study the contact properties between Ti/Au contacts and a single $SnO_2$ nanowire was compared to the electrical properties of a contact without the oxide layer. RIE(Reactive Ion Etching) is used to selectively remove the oxide layer from the contact area. The $SnO_2$ nanowires were synthesized by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and dispersed on a $Si/Si_3N_4$ substrate. The Ti/Au (20nm/100nm) electrodes were formed bye-beam lithography, e-beam evaporation and a lift-off process.