The object of the present invention is to provide a driving method and a driving apparatus for a field emission device that controls emission current with stability regardless of how long the device is driven. The field emission device driving method and driving apparatus of the present invention set the actual emission current at a reference level by adjusting the amount of current which is supplied to the emitter to a reference level. The amount of current supplied to the emitter is adjusted to the reference level by increasing the driving voltage in response to driving time elapsing in a state in which the electron emission performance is sustained above the reference level. By adjusting the amount of current supplied to the emitter in a state in which the driving voltage is sustained higher than the minimum voltage, a stable amount of emission current can be sustained and electron emission without fluctuations can be realized, even when the performance of the field emission device in emitting electrons deteriorates due to driving time elapsing.