What is the legal minimum tyre tread depth in the UK?

The legal minimum tread depth for cars, light vans, and light trailers in the UK is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre's width and around the entire outer circumference. Many safety organisations recommend replacing tyres at 3mm as stopping distances increase significantly below this threshold.

What are the penalties for driving on illegal tyres?

Each illegal tyre can result in a £2,500 fine and three penalty points. With four illegal tyres, that is a potential £10,000 fine and 12 penalty points — sufficient for a driving ban. Illegal tyres can also invalidate your car insurance.

Do tyres automatically fail an MOT?

Yes. Tyres below the legal tread depth, with exposed ply or cord, with bulges, cuts, or damage penetrating the structure, or with a tyre fitted on the wrong way or of an unsuitable type will result in an MOT failure. Tyres are one of the most commonly failed MOT items.

How old can tyres be before they must be replaced?

There is no single UK legal age limit for tyres on cars, but a general safety guideline is to replace tyres over 10 years old regardless of tread depth, and to have tyres over 5 years old inspected annually. Commercial vehicles (lorries, buses, minibuses) are legally required to replace any tyre over 10 years on front axles.

Is it illegal to mix tyres on a car?

It is not illegal to have different brands of tyre on a car, but you must not mix tyre types (e.g. radial and cross-ply) on the same axle, and mismatched sizes can be illegal or unsafe. For best handling, matched pairs on each axle are strongly recommended, with the better tyres on the rear axle.

Are part-worn tyres legal in the UK?

Part-worn tyres are legal to sell and fit in the UK under specific conditions — they must meet minimum tread depth requirements (2mm across the full width), have no structural damage, and be permanently and legibly marked as 'PART WORN'. In practice, enforcement is inconsistent and tyre safety groups report widespread non-compliance by sellers.

MotR

UK Tyre Law · MOT Safety

UK Tyre Law Guide

Tyres are one of the most commonly failed MOT items — and illegal tyres can mean a £2,500 fine per wheel. This guide covers every tyre law UK drivers need to know, from tread depth to MOT checks.

DVSA DataDVLA RecordsFree · No SignupUpdated 2026

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Updated 13 June 2026·8 min read·Reviewed by Ste Robinson, MotR

Quick Answer

Legal minimum tyre tread depth: 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre. Each illegal tyre: up to £2,500 fine and 3 penalty points. Tyres with bulges, cuts exposing ply, or wrong fitment are an automatic MOT failure. Mixing radial and cross-ply on the same axle is illegal. Part-worn tyres are legal but subject to specific conditions — often poorly enforced.

UK Tyre Law at a Glance

Rule	Requirement	Penalty for breach
Minimum tread depth	1.6mm across central ¾ of width, full circumference	£2,500 fine + 3 penalty points per tyre
Tyre condition	No exposed ply, cords, bulges or cuts through to structure	MOT failure + fine if driven on road
Mixing types	No mixing radial and cross-ply on same axle	Illegal and MOT failure
Part-worn tyres	Must meet minimum tread, marked 'PART WORN', no damage	Seller offence; unsafe tyres risk prosecution
Spare wheel	No legal obligation to carry one, but roadworthiness must be maintained	No fine for absence but risk if tyre fails
Commercial vehicle front axles	No tyre over 10 years old on front axle of lorries, buses, minibuses	Prosecution and vehicle prohibition

In This Tyre Law Guide

Legal Tyre Tread Depth UK

Minimum limits, how to check and MOT thresholds

MOT Tyre Check

What testers inspect and common failures

Tyre Sidewall Damage & MOT

What counts as a failure and why

Can You Mix Tyres?

UK law on mixing brands, sizes and types

Driving With Bald Tyres

Penalties, risks and what counts as bald

Spare Wheel Law UK

Legal obligations for spare wheels

Tyre Pressure Guide

Correct pressures, effects on safety and fuel

When Should You Replace Tyres?

Age, tread depth and wear indicators

Part Worn Tyres UK

Legality, risks and what to look for

Run-Flat Tyres Explained

How they work, limits and replacement rules

Tread Depth: The Safety Argument for 3mm

The legal minimum of 1.6mm is a floor, not a target. At 3mm tread depth on a wet road, stopping distances begin to increase noticeably. At 1.6mm, wet-road braking performance is significantly degraded compared to a new tyre. Major tyre manufacturers and road safety organisations recommend replacing tyres at 3mm as a practical safety threshold.

Tread depth	Status	Wet-road stopping distance impact
8mm (new tyre)	Excellent	Baseline — full wet grip performance
3mm	Replace soon	Stopping distance begins to extend vs new tyre
1.6mm (legal minimum)	Replace immediately	Significantly extended wet stopping distance
Below 1.6mm	Illegal	Seriously compromised — also a criminal offence

Tyre Checks Before Your MOT

Check tread depth across the central ¾ of tyre width — use a 20p coin as a quick guide (if the outer band is visible, tread is below 3mm)

Inspect sidewalls for bulges, cuts, cracks or any deformation

Check valve caps are present and valves are not cracked

Verify tyre size matches the vehicle placard (usually inside the driver's door frame)

Check for uneven wear — suggests alignment or suspension issues that will also be checked at MOT

Ensure tyres are correctly inflated to the vehicle manufacturer's recommended pressures

Full Pre-MOT Checklist →

Complete tyre and vehicle preparation before your test.

UK Tyre Law FAQs

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Next Recommended Reading

Legal Tyre Tread Depth UK

Everything about the 1.6mm minimum, how to check accurately and when to replace.

Ste Robinson

Founder, MotR · Last reviewed 13 June 2026

Ste Robinson is the founder of MotR, helping UK drivers check MOT history, tax status, vehicle records and ownership information using official DVLA and DVSA data.

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