A Method for manufacturing semiconductor devices having ESD protection. The method includes the steps of providing a semiconductor substrate having a well region, forming a gate structure on the semiconductor substrate, the gate structure including an oxide layer, a gate electrode on said oxide layer, and two spacer sidewalls, forming a source region within the well region at one side of the gate structure, forming a drain region within the well region at the other side of the gate structure, forming lightly doped source / drain regions in the well region and beneath the spacer walls of the gate structure wherein the lightly doped source / drain regions have the same conductivity type as the drain region and, and performing an implant with the same conductivity type as the well region as to form an ESD implantation region. The ESD implantation region is located under the diffusion region that is between the drain contact and the poly gate of output NMOS, but without covering the region right under the drain contact. Therefore, the ESD current is discharged through the ESD-implanted region to the substrate without causing current crowding under the drain contact as to burn out the drain contact.