A semiconductor memory device having a word line driver circuit configured in stages. A plurality of sub word line driver circuits are connected, in parallel, to each main word line, and provide a sub word line enable signal to a selected sub word line in response to a main word line enable signal provided through a main word line. A plurality of (local) word line driver circuits are connected in parallel, to each sub word line and provide a local word line enable signal to a selected local word line in response to the (main/sub) word line enable signal so as to operate a plurality of memory cells connected to the selected local word line. The transistor count and layout area of a semiconductor memory device decreases and a reduced chip area can be achieved.