A　practical　framework　of　seismic　design　based　on　probability　and　performance　for　highway　bridges　was　proposed.　In　the　framework,　four　earthquake　design　levels　were　recommended　in　terms　of　the　exceeding　probability　of　86%,　19%,　10%　and　4%　in　100　years,　to　solve　the　inconsistency　of　seismic　hazard　for　highway　bridges　with　different　seismic　fortification　classification　at　the　same　earthquake　zone　in　current　Chinese　guidelines　for　seismic　design　of　highway　bridges.　Four　seismic　performance　levels　were　proposed,　i.　e.　immediately　operational,　limited　operational,　emergency　traffic　only,　and　closed　to　traffic,　respectively,　according　to　the　expected　functional　requirements　of　highway　bridges　after　an　earthquake　shock.　The　seismic　performance　objective　was　defined　as　the　conditional　probability　of　exceeding　a　specified　performance　level　at　the　given　earthquake　design　level,　to　solve　the　problem　that　the　reliabilities　of　seismic　fortification　goals　of　highway　bridges　had　not　been　specified.　The　first　order　second　moment　method　was　used　to　derive　the　limit　state　equation　of　seismic　design　based　on　performance　for　highway　bridges,　in　which　both　demand　and　capacity　factors　were　used　to　explain　the　uncertainty　in　the　seismic　demand　and　capacity.　On　the　basis　of　the　proposed　framework,　the　design　procedure　was　demonstrated　by　an　example　highway　girder　bridge.　The　results　show　that　the　proposed　framework　can　be　practically　applied　to　seismic　design　based　on　probability　and　performance　for　highway　bridges.　©　2015,　Central　South　University　of　Technology.　All　right　reserved.