Disclosed is a semiconductor memory device may include a substrate including a cell array region and a contact region and a stacking structure including a plurality of insulating layers and a plurality of gate electrodes alternately stacked on the substrate. The stacking structure may include a stepwise structure in the contact region. Ones of the plurality of gate electrodes may include a respective pad unit that comprises a step of the stepwise structure. At least one of the pad units may include a base pad and a protrusion pad on the base pad. The protrusion pad may be between and spaced apart from two edges of a surface of the base pad that are perpendicular to an extension direction of the respective gate electrode.