This study summarises the results of an experimental and analytical study carried out to investigate the influence of buckling on low-cycle fatigue life of reinforcing bars. The parameters considered to experimentally investigate the effect of buckling on low-cycle fatigue life of reinforcing bars are the grade (i.e. strength) of the bars, slenderness ratio of the bars and the loading history. The test results indicate that buckling of bars has detrimental effect on their fatigue life; i.e. increase in the slenderness ratio of bars results in substantial reduction of their low-cycle fatigue life. Regression analysis of the experimental data is carried out and fatigue life equations relating the total strain amplitude with the number of strain reversals to failure as a function of buckling parameter (that defines the buckling proneness of reinforcing bars) are proposed. Further, the proposed fatigue model is implemented into finite element analysis program OpenSees for conducting non-linear cyclic analysis of a typical reinforced concrete column. Comparative evaluation of the numerical results suggests that ignoring the effect of buckling on low-cycle fatigue behaviour of reinforcing bars can result in overestimation of the seismic resistance of reinforced concrete structures.