Abstract | Nonlinear dynamic analysis is commonly used in seismic risk assessment. Record selection is the tool to connect the ground motion to the structural response through a ground motion intensity measure (IM). Naturally, appropriate record selection techniques as well as a good choice of IM have been two important research topics in the last decade. Recent studies have shown the necessity of record selection that thoroughly represents the seismicity at the site of interest. Similarly, many studies have focused on the best choice of IMs capable of estimating the response of specific buildings with the least scatter. The advances put forward by this body of research are geared mostly to structural analysis of buildings modeled in 2D. Few are the specific record selection approaches and IMs suggested expressly for nonlinear dynamic analysis of 3D structural models. Herein, we explore several proposals for conditional spectrum-based record selection for 3D structural models using different IMs. Especially, we present a vector-based conditional spectrum record selection that conveys information from two orthogonal horizontal components of the ground motion. We further explore the application of the newly presented approaches for 3D analysis of several building examples and consequently provide suggestions for their use in seismic risk assessment.