Various thick film varistor constructions were made and characterised: ‘sandwich’, ‘interdigitated’ and ‘segmented’ varistors. The varistor active layer thickness, the electrode surface value and shape were varied. The Ul characteristics of these varistors were compared mutually, and with the Ul characteristics of the smallest chip varistors. In accordance with the results obtained, it has been shown that thick film printed varistors composed of ZnO and with additives could be applied as discrete components or integrated into a hybrid circuit.