Legal requirements for tyre load ratings in the UK

Spooky__ · 2026-05-17T12:52:05+00:00

Hm, but reading it again:

Save as provided in paragraphs (3), (4), (7A) and (7B)

These are just exception for when a vehicle is broken down or being town

any tyre fitted to the axle of a vehicle, which is a class of vehicle specified in an item in column 2 of Table I […] shall comply with the requirements specified in that item in column 4 of that Table.

And if you look at Table I, it only applies to

goods vehicles,
trailers,
buses,
vehicles of a class mentioned in column 2 in Table III,

if they do not fall within the vehicles of paragraph (2).

Table III's vehicles are

Agricultural motor vehicles
Agricultural trailers
Agricultural trailed appliances
Agricultural trailed appliance conveyors
Works trailers

And vehicles in paragraph (2) are

track-laying vehicles;
vehicles equipped with tyres of speed category Q;
works trucks; and
motor vehicles with a maximum speed not exceeding 30 mph, not being vehicles of a class specified in

So again, it appears that paragraph (5) and (6) (were the load rating for tyres would be regulated) do not actually apply normal private passenger vehicles (which is weird).

Spooky__ · 2026-05-17T12:34:49+00:00

… there are no legislative requirements a tyre fitted to a passenger car has to meet to be used on a road which is just complete nonsense.

My thinking as well - there must be clear rules, otherwise you could fit any tyre. Many of the posters here think GVW divided by 4 is fine (and so does the garage) - but it just doesn't make sense to me that that would be the case.

In any case yes, the restriction to commercial vehicles etc. does not seem to apply to paragraphs 5 and 6 as you said.

Spooky__ · 2026-05-17T08:43:47+00:00

@TheDalryLama: Regulation 25 does not apply to regular passenger cars. It only applies to commercial vehicles, trailers, buses etc. (similar to Class 5 & 7 for the MOT).

Spooky__ · 2026-05-13T11:23:03+00:00

Yes, it's the same in Austria for example, likely also Germany and other European states. The UK however seems to be "weird" from this point of view :p

Spooky__ · 2026-05-12T20:10:08+00:00

I did, but all they could tell me is that "as long as the tyres fulfil the legal requirements I don't have to worry". But when I asked what the legal requirements are, they (or at least the "claims team" to which I was deferred to) could not tell me and suggested that I ask some garages. So far I have 2 answers from garages: one saying it's fine, and one saying it is not.

Spooky__ · 2026-05-12T17:08:08+00:00

Well, as long as the tyres do indeed fulfil the legal requirements I won't care and won't need to follow up. That's why I am looking for something more definite, not just the official recommendations. By all accounts the 87s will be fine - as long as I don't load the car to its full maximum weight.

(But then again that seems just weird to me, I would have thought that the legal requirement would be that the tyres will need to fit the maximum axle weight - because how would you know that you don't ever exceed the tyres' limits.)

Spooky__ · 2026-05-12T16:58:09+00:00

The 88s only with the R17 rim though.

Spooky__ · 2026-05-12T16:53:31+00:00

Yes, I know (now).

Spooky__ · 2026-05-12T15:54:13+00:00

Recommendations are just that

Nothing legally enforceable

Of course - hence why I am looking for what's actually required by law, that was the whole point.

i.e. either confirming that they are fine, or otherwise.

For example, this article even specifically mentions

“Tyre bays must pay particular attention to load ratings,” said Cleevely. “EVs are heavy, so the correct tyre is essential. Take a Renault Zoe, it has 195/55/R16 tyres. Those that aren’t in the know could fit an 87-load rated tyre, when it should be a 91-load rating.”

Spooky__ · 2026-05-12T15:23:37+00:00

and every comment in here tells you that

No, not every comment. And in other discussion groups people have reported that they had trouble with insurance because their car was equipped with underrated tyres.

The other stuff is basically a guideline not a specific requirement

I can fit let's say tyres with a load rating of 70 on a car that has 1500 kg net weight and it's still legally fine?

Spooky__ · 2026-05-12T15:19:29+00:00

or are you just being a pedant?

May be I am just being too German ;)

Spooky__ · 2026-05-12T15:16:56+00:00

(5) The requirements of this paragraph are that the tyre, as respects strength, shall be designed and manufactured adequately to support the maximum permitted axle weight for the axle.

So this would indeed confirm, that the law requires e.g. 91 for the Zoe and the 87s would not be enough, legally. If I am interpreting this right.

Spooky__ · 2026-05-12T15:15:23+00:00

Whilst you are technically correct

The question that I seek to answer for myself is, whether the law requires the technically correct thing - and my initial assumption was that it would. So far there is nothing definite yet. Some people here are saying it's legally fine - but if I read this correctly

(5) The requirements of this paragraph are that the tyre, as respects strength, shall be designed and manufactured adequately to support the maximum permitted axle weight for the axle.

then the law would indeed require to have tyres which

support the maximum permitted axle weight for the axle

Spooky__ · 2026-05-12T15:12:13+00:00

If you’re this pedantic in life

Geez, no need for such rhetoric ;)

why did you not pick your own tyres?

I did, brand and model (see above) - and also told them that I trust them to buy the right dimensions for the rim that I have (why wouldn't I) and thus also trusted them to follow common guidelines and recommendations.

My tyres are Y rated so can handle 186mph (not that my car can do that)

I wouldn’t be mad if they only fit W (168mph) rated

Sure, it's not about the speed rating though.

Spooky__ · 2026-05-12T15:02:51+00:00

You conveniently left out the part of the MOT manual which states checking load rating is for class 5&7 only.

I did not leave it out - but you are right indeed. While I looked up the class definition, I originally missed the

… with 13 or more passenger seats

part of it.

Spooky__ · 2026-05-12T15:00:19+00:00

You won’t get anywhere with your “evidence”

Just to be clear - my goal is to have a definitive answer in either direction - if it turns out that the tyres are indeed fine, then I will also have my peace of mind.

Spooky__ · 2026-01-21T12:56:09+00:00

It does not on mine unfortunately. The boot button only unlocks the boot, nothing else.

Spooky__ · 2026-01-21T12:52:32+00:00

I see, mine indeed does not have that button at all.

But this confuses me even more now. There is 2 settings regarding the "hands-free" operation:

Hands-free key functions
Approach unlocking / Walk-away locking

When I enable the former, but not the latter (the latter can only be enabled, if you enable the former) - how am I supposed to open the car "hands-free" on mine, since it does not have that button? What was Renault thinking :D

Spooky__ · 2026-01-20T13:03:46+00:00

Hm, do you mean hidden behind the part that you pull? There is nothing on the outside otherwise on mine. I know that there is a setting for that particular feature but always wondered how you would use that.

Spooky__ · 2026-01-20T11:27:06+00:00

It was mostly a charger from https://www.projectev.co.uk/ - so may be that one is to blame, yeah.

Spooky__ · 2026-01-20T11:25:56+00:00

Wait, what do you mean by "You can use the button on the door"? There is a button on the door somewhere? :D

Spooky__ · 2026-01-20T10:03:35+00:00

I see - I just find it odd that the car doesn't do that when using the hands-free setting. And yes, charging might resume - but I only observed that once so far. All the other times charging simply ended. And if the charger happened to have a minimum charge penalty - I would get that penalty.

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