What is the minimum legal depth that tyres need for a car to be safe to drive in the UK?
The legal tyre tread depth for cars in the UK and Europe is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre, according to law.
The penalties for driving with illegal tyres can be severe. If you are stopped by the police and your tyres are found to be below the legal tyre tread depth limit, you can receive 3 penalty points on your driving license and be fined up to £2,500 per illegal tyre.
How to know if you have a flat tire. A flat tire will sit flat on the ground and visibly lower than the other tires on your car. When driving, a flat tire will sometimes create an imbalance in the steering and alignment, “pulling” the car to one side. You may also notice vibrations or a “flapping” sound.
Illegal Tyres
Their tread depth limit may be less than the aforementioned 1.6mm around the central 3/4th portion of the tyre. Illegal tyres may incur a fine and penalty points. You could be prosecuted and your car insurance invalidated.
The U.S. Department of Transportation recommends replacing tires when they reach 2/32”, and many states legally require tires to be replaced at this depth. The idea of the penny test is to check whether you've hit the 2/32” threshold.
For all tyre offences, the court has to impose three penalty points. It can also impose these points for each defective tyre. So for example, four bald tyres on the same vehicle could place you at risk of 12 points and a possible totting up ban. This means you could be disqualified from driving.
But what happens if you are caught driving with a bald tyre? If you are stopped by police when you are driving with tyres below the legal minimum tread depth, you are likely to be given a fine.
Bald Tyres Law
You only get points for one of the offences – which means 3. This will mean that you are on 9 and you will have to be really careful to try and avoid a ban going forward. They have up to 6 months to issue the court summons so you have got a little bit of a wait I'm afraid.
As you drive, the tread will wear down. A tire with a tread depth below 1.6 millimeters (2/32 inches) lacks grip. Braking distance and vehicle control are impaired. These tires are not safe for driving and must be replaced.
The legal minimum depth of tread for car tyres is 1.6 mm across the central ¾ of the tread around the complete circumference of the tyre. Anything below 1.6mm reduces grip on the road which could be dangerous for both you and your passengers.
What is the lowest legal tread depth?
What is the minimum recommended tread depth? The minimum permitted tyre tread depth is 1.6 mm. For safety reasons, it is recommended that each tyre should have at least 3.0 mm tread depth. Most new tyres have 8.0 mm.
While a new car tyre begins life with approximately 8mm of tread, the minimum legal tread depth is 1.6mm. However, most motoring organisations recommend changing your tyres before the tread gets to this level.
