The active earth pressure depends largely upon the inclining angle and the displacement of a retaining wall backfilled, for either sandy or clayey soil. Thus, it is necessary to address these factors in calculating the active earth pressure of the retaining wall backfilled by the nonlimit-state soil. Based on stress state analysis, the coefficient of lateral earth pressure is determined by considering the soil arching effect and the nonlimit soil state, and a closed form solution is given for the inclined retaining wall using the horizontal element method. The proposed method is validated by comparing the calculated results with model testing results. The key parameters, such as displacement ratio ?, the ratio of soil-wall friction angle and internal friction angle ? /?, inclining angel ?, and cohesion c, are analyzed, which have great influences on the distribution of the active earth pressure and the height of the acting point of the sum of the total earth pressure. It is shown that as the soil state transits from static to actively pushing the wall, the soil arching effect becomes stronger. Also, as ? /? increases, the distribution of the active earth pressure becomes more and more nonlinear and the height of the acting point of total earth pressure increases, while the effect of ? /? on the earth pressure increases as ? increases. In addition, as ? increase, the soil arching effect diminishes. For the cohesive soil, the cohesion has influence on the active earth pressure, and the height of the acting point of total earth pressure decreases as the cohesion increases. The proposed method may help improve the calculation of active earth pressure behind the retaining wall.