This paper contains research of the seismic effects on the design of retaining walls. The present state of the technique of determining the pressure of the bulk medium on the side surface is analyzed. The basic theory of soil pressure on the retaining walls in static formulation is the Coulomb theory, according to which the pressure of the bulk medium on the lateral surface is determined by the condition of static equilibrium of a rigid wedge formed in the layer between the rear face of the structure and the sliding surface. In the works of Okabe and Mononobe, the proposed theory has evolved in the direction of dynamic influence accounting. To date, these studies are at the heart of current regulations. the issue of seismic component consideration in the calculation of retaining walls in the world design practice was analysed. The differences between the calculated dependencies of the US, Ukraine and Eurocodes codes are given. The reasons for the analyzed differences are identified and recommendations for their correction are offered.