In the capacity spectrum method(CSM) using a linear response spectrum, the peak response of an inelastic system under a given earthquake load is estimated transforming the system into the equivalent elastic one. The CSM for estimating the peak inelastic response is evaluated in this paper. The equivalent period and damping ratio are calculated using the ATC-40, G lkan, Kowalsky, and Iwan methods, and the performance points are obtained according to the procedure B of ATC-40. Analysis results indicate that the ATC-40 method generally underestimates the peak response resulting in the unsafe design, while the G lkan and Kowalsky methods overestimate the responses. The Iwan method produces the values between those by the ATC-40 method and the G lkan and Kowalsky methods, and estimates the responses relatively closer to the exact ones. Further, it is found that the Kowalsky method gives the negative equivalent damping ratios depending on the hardening ratios, and thereby can not be used to estimate the responses in some cases.