DCconduction mechanisms in lithium niobate thin films as a function of microstructure have been investigated. Sol-gel synthesis of LiNbO3films on Si and Pt-coated Si substrates produced two different microstructures which caused significant differences in the electrical response of these films todcfields. At high fields, space charge limited conduction dominated in near epitaxial, highly textured LiNbO3films on Pt-coated Si substrates. Current-voltage(I-V)characteristics of polycrystalline LiNbO3films on Si substrates were complex, and there is a strong possibility of Poole-Frenkel emission from shallow traps in these non textured films.