Abstract: In order to determine the deformation performance index limits for ductile RC shear wall components based on Chinese codes, the test data of seven shear wall components in other published articles are first used to verify the reliability of the finite element method. Then, the finite element method is applied to analyze a set of ductile RC shear wall components with shear span ratio λ≥2.0 and designed according to current Chinese codes. And the impact of the following factors on the deformation performance of RC shear wall components is studied: shear span ratio, longitudinal reinforcement ratio of the confined boundary members and axial compression ratio. Finally, the deformation performance index and the limits of the ductile RC shear wall components based on Chinese codes are proposed by the finite element model results. The plastic rotation of plastic zone is selected as the performance index of the RC shear wall components with λ≥2.5 and the limits of the plastic rotation under severe earthquakes are presented. The plastic drift is selected as the performance index of the RC shear wall components with 1.0≤λ<2.5 and the limits of the plastic drift under severe earthquakes are presented.