Previous earthquake events have proven the inadequacy of old reinforced concrete (RC) design codes. The seismic deficiency in RC columns can be tackled with external jacketing. The objective of this study is to examine the use of fabric reinforced cementitious matrix (FRCM) as a retrofitting reinforcement for seismically deficient RC columns. The paper presents the experimental results of three large-scale circular column specimens tested under lateral cyclic loading. The test specimens were designed with inadequate transverse reinforcement detailing at the plastic hinge region. One specimen acted as a control, while the other two test specimens were retrofitted with one and two layers of FRCM reinforcement in the plastic hinge region. The fibres in the FRCM system were oriented in the hoop direction. The test results showed that all specimens at failure had a predominant concrete crushing and rebar buckling in the plastic hinge zone. However, FRCM retrofitting provided effective confining pressure to the columns’ cross-section which enhanced the columns’ behaviour in terms of lateral load capacity, ductility, and energy dissipation. A higher amount of FRCM at the plastic hinge allowed a higher gain in load capacity, ductility, and energy dissipation.