This paper is aimed at presenting two methods on the basis of pattern search and genetic algorithms to detect and estimate damage in plates using the modal data of a damaged plate. The proposed methods determine the damages of plate structures using optimization of an objective function by pattern search and genetic algorithms. These methods have been applied to two numerical examples, namely four-fixed supported and cantilever plates with and without noise in the modal data and containing one or several damages. The obtained results clearly reveal that the proposed methods can be viewed as a powerful and reliable method for structural damage detection in plates using the modal data.