Selling part-worn tyres is legal in the UK, but it is tightly regulated. The rules come from the Motor Vehicle Tyres (Safety) Regulations 1994, made under the Consumer Protection Act, and they set a clear standard a tyre must meet before it can be sold. The trouble is how often that standard is ignored.
What the law requires
To be sold legally, a part-worn tyre must meet every one of these:
- Sound structure: no cuts, lumps, bulges or tears, no exposed cords or ply, no bead damage, and no sign of having been run under-inflated. It must also have passed an inflation test.
- Enough tread: at least 2mm across the full breadth of the tread and around the entire circumference, with the original grooves still clearly visible in their entirety.
- Correct markings: the 'E' approval mark, plus the proper size, load index and speed rating, showing the tyre meets the recognised standards and suits the vehicle.
- The 'PART WORN' stamp: permanently and legibly applied in capital letters at least 4mm high. It must not be hot-branded or cut into the tyre.
The last of these is the one most often missing, and on its own it makes a sale illegal.
The 2mm catch
The tread requirement deserves a second look. The legal minimum to drive on is 1.6mm; a part-worn must be sold with at least 2mm. That is a margin of just 0.4mm, about half the thickness of a bank card. A part-worn bought near that limit is close to illegal before it leaves the shop, which is part of why the value rarely stacks up.
Who is responsible
The law puts duties on both sides. Traders who supply part-worns that fail the regulations commit a criminal offence under consumer protection law, and prosecutions do happen. The driver who then uses a tyre that is below 1.6mm or otherwise illegal faces the usual penalties, a fine and penalty points per tyre, an MOT failure, and a possible invalidated insurance claim.
For a driver, the simplest way to stay clear of all of this is to avoid the grey market altogether. Buying new sidesteps the condition, marking and history questions that make part-worns such a gamble, a fresh set bought online from Tyres.co.uk comes with all three already sorted.
From the workshop: the "PART WORN" stamp is the quickest tell. If a tyre on a rack does not have it, in 4mm capitals, that sale is already illegal, and it makes you wonder what else has been skipped. A legitimate seller marks and inspects every tyre.
Sources and accuracy. The regulations and requirements summarised here reflect UK law at the time of writing, which can change. Anything safety-critical should be confirmed against current official guidance. If anything here looks wrong, get in touch and we will check it and put it right.
Common questions
What law covers part-worn tyres in the UK?+
The Motor Vehicle Tyres (Safety) Regulations 1994, made under the Consumer Protection Act. They set out the condition, tread, markings and labelling a part-worn tyre must have before it can legally be sold.
What tread must a part-worn tyre have to be sold?+
At least 2mm across the full breadth of the tread and around the entire circumference, with the original grooves still clearly visible in their entirety. That is only 0.4mm above the 1.6mm legal driving limit, so a part-worn at 2mm has very little usable life.
How must a part-worn tyre be marked?+
It must carry the 'PART WORN' wording, permanently and legibly applied in capital letters at least 4mm high. This cannot be hot-branded or cut into the tyre. It must also show the 'E' approval mark and the correct size, load index and speed rating.
Is it illegal to sell a bad part-worn tyre?+
Yes. Supplying part-worn tyres that do not meet the regulations is a criminal offence under consumer protection law, and traders have been convicted for it. The driver who then uses an illegal tyre also faces fines and penalty points.