Transfer slabs are used in multistorey buildings to support planted columns where for architectural reasons the column grid changes between floors. Design for shear at offset columns requires careful consideration of factors such as the gap between the upper and lower column, openings and distance from the slab edge etc. It can be unclear whether the critical failure mode is punching shear, linear shear or a combination of the two. The paper uses nonlinear finite element analysis (NLFEA) with 3D solid elements to investigate shear failure of subassemblies extracted from realistically proportioned transfer slabs. Comparisons are made between the shear resistance determined with NLFEA and EC2-23 using shear field analysis.