Abstract: The crack compliance method was employed to measure the residual stress distribution in the head, middle and tail of the ship plate strip in both hot-rolled and tempered states. The results indicate that the highest residual stress values are found in the middle of the strip. The uneven phase transformation during strip rolling lead to edge waves or increased residual stress. After tempering, the residual stress levels in the head, middle and tail of the strip are significantly improved. The scatter of the residual stress in the hot-rolled strip is an important factor influencing the improvement of residual stress. The anti-warping and anti-bending capabilities of the strip steel are enhanced after tempering, and the risk of the distortion during processing and use is reduced.