The influence of the plastic flow rules on the elasto-plastic behaviour of a discrete joint element was investigated by performing the numerical direct shear tests under both constant normal displacement and normal displacement conditions. The finite interface elements obeying Plesha’s joint constitutive law was used to allow the relative motion of the rock blocks on the joint surface. Realistic results were obtained in the tests adopting the non-associated flow rule, while the associated flow rule overestimated the joint dilation. To overcome the computational drawbacks coming from the non-symmetric element stiffness matrix in the conventional non-associated plasticity, the symmetric formulation of the tangential stiffness matrix for a non-associated joint element was proposed. The symmetric elasto-plastic matrix it derived by assuming an imaginary equivalent joint with associated flow rule which shows the same plastic response as that of original Joint with non-associated flow rule. The validity of the formulation was confirmed through the numerical direct shear tests under constant normal stress condition.