It depends on the joint configuration, dimensions and constraints of the joint whether the residual stress at the root of single-sided butt weld is tensile or not. Therefore, recommendation is generally made that high R ratio should be used in the fatigue test of welded joint in order to prevent excessively long life caused by compressive residual stress. In this research, the residual stress profile in butt weld joint was obtained through compliance method, using successive extension of a slot and measurement of the variation of strain during the slot extension. The residual stress profile was firstly assumed to be the linear summation of Legendre polynomials up to 9th order excluding 0th and 1st order. Strain variation on the surface was measured while the slot was being extended by cutting to find out the 8 unknown coefficients of each polynomial term. The cut was made by the electric discharge machine. It was concluded that the residual stress near the surface is positive valued, however, it turned into the negative value as soon as it passed through 2 or 3 mm of the depth.