$lambda$/4 phase-shifted DFB lasers with nonideal grating structure have been studied by using an effective-index transfer matrix method where material dispersion, vwaveguide dispersion and waveguide-structuredependent loss are taken into consideration. Nonideal grating structure in the center phase-shift region does not incur serous degradation of laser characteristics. Phase-shift error from the ideal shift of $pi$ causes a decrease in the threshold gain difference and lasing wavelength shift and should be less than $pi$/4 when residual facet reflectivity is 0.7%. also, positional error of the phase-shift should be less than 9% of the cavity length in order for the threshold gain difference to be decreased less than 10%.