The aim of this work is to investigate the influence of the standing-wave electric field profile on the laser damage resistance of HfO2 thin films. To this end, HfO2 thin films of different optical thickness and deposited by the electron beam evaporation technique at the same deposition conditions have been analyzed. Laser damage thresholds of the samples have been measured at 308 nm (XeCl laser) by the photoacoustic beam deflection technique and microscopic inspections. The dependence of the laser damage threshold on the standing-wave electric field pattern has been analyzed.