The sensing characteristics of an NO2 gas sensor using lead phthalocyanine thin film are influenced by heat-pretreatment time and ambient gas. The response behaviour of conductance for the change in ambient gas was characterized using Elovich's equation. The first stage in the adsorption and desorption kinetics reflects surface phenomena and the second stage the film diffusion. Both components were improved by heat treatment in air. The rising time in the NO2 adsorption process was within 2 min, and the recovery time within 5 min at 130 °C for the film annealed in air for 1 h. The heat pretreatment induced the formation of a continuous layer of fine particles, ∼ 0.1 μm in size, and larger single crystals isolated from each other, which formed on the continuous layer. The formation of the larger single crystals is not preferable in fabricating a sensor with fast rising and recovery times.