The inductive electric field produced by a time-dependent magnetotail current system is investigated using a simple model. The model current system used in these calculations is a 'theta' representation consisting of a flat sheet of current flowing westward to represent the neutral sheet and return currents flowing eastward on the boundary of the tail. Assuming realistic parameters for the dimensions and strength of the current system and a linear variation of the current during times of magnetic activity, it is found that the inductive electric field is predominantly in the east-west direction, and is fairly uniform over a large range of east-west and antisolar directions. An east-west inductive electric field of as much as 0.70 mv/m is produced during substorms by a time variation of the tail current which corresponds to a rate of change of the total magnetic field near the inner edge of the neutral sheet of about 10-2 &ggr;/sec.