A nitrogen oxide sensor includes a solid electrolytic substrate exhibiting oxygen ion conductivity, a noble-metal reference electrode, which is active only to oxygen, formed on one side of the solid electrolytic substrate, and a sensing electrode, which is active to NOx and oxygen, formed on the opposite side of the solid electrolytic substrate. A potential difference across the sensing electrode and the reference electrode is output as a signal indicative of NOx concentration. Nitrogen oxides in a gas to be examined or measured gas are converted to NO2 and to peroxides of nitrogen such as N2O5 and NO3, after which the nitrogen oxides in the gas to be examined or measured gas are sensed by the sensing electrode as the peroxides of nitrogen such as N2O5 and NO3 or as a mixed gas of NO2 and the peroxides of nitrogen.