Ground-motion prediction equations (GMPEs) are essential tools in seismic hazard studies to estimate ground motions generated by potential seismic sources. Global GMPEswhich are based on well-compiled global strong-motion databanks, have certain advantages over local GMPEs, including more sophisticated parameters in terms of distance, faulting style, and site classification but cannot guarantee the local/region-specific propagation characteristics of shear wave (e.g., geometric spreading behavior, quality factor) for different seismic regions at larger distances (beyond about 80 km). Here, strongmotion records of northern Iran have been used to estimate the propagation characteristics of shear wave and determine the region-specific adjustment parameters for three of the NGA-West2 GMPEs to be applicable in northern Iran. The dataset consists of 260 threecomponent records from 28 earthquakes, recorded at 139 stations, with moment magnitudes between 4.9 and 7.4, horizontal distance to the surface projection of the rupture (RJB) less than 200 km, and average shear-wave velocity over the top 30 m of the subsurface (VS30) between 155 and 1500 m/s. The paper also presents the ranking results for three of the NGA-West2 GMPEs
