Passive film was potentiostatically grown on Type 304 stainless steel at potentials between -0.4 and 0.3 V vs. Hg/HgSO4 in 50 mV intervals. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used to study properties of the grown passive films. Relevant circuit analogs were selected to fit the electrochemical impedance data obtained at each potential. The resultant parameters were used to calculate film thickness through both film capacitance and resistance. The calculated thicknesses were compared with ellipsometry thickness measurement results. An overestimation occurred when the film resistance was used to calculate the film thickness. On the other hand, when the CPE parameter Q was used, the film thickness was underestimated. Available approaches were employed to calculate the effective capacitance of the film. A comparison between the film thickness calculated from the effective capacitance and ellipsometry measurements suggested a surface distribution of time constants on the surface. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.