In the 1971 San Fernando earthquake the general performance of tilt‐up structures was poor, and a number of collapses occurred. After this event substantial changes were made to seismic code provisions governing the design and construction of these buildings. The October 1, 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake produced strong shaking (up to Modified Mercalli Intensity VIII) in an area containing thousands of tilt‐up buildings of various ages. This recent earthquake thereby provided the first significant test of these new provisions. Approximately 120 tilt‐ups were surveyed after the Whittier event. Four pre‐1971 tilt‐ups partially collapsed, but newer structures also sustained damage that may have led to collapse in longer duration shaking. Code changes adopted to mitigate wall anchorage and diaphragm continuity problems identified in 1971 appear to be effective for the level of shaking experienced in the Whittier event, but new vulnerabilities, partly reflective of changes in construction practice, have been identified.