Are part-worn tyres legal in the UK?

Yes, if they meet the Motor Vehicle Tyres (Safety) Regulations 1994. They need at least 2mm of tread across the full width and all the way round, a permanent PART-WORN marking at least 4mm high next to the approval mark, no serious cuts, bulges or exposed cords even when inflated, and any repairs done to the British Standard.

How much tread must a part-worn tyre have?

At least 2mm across the full breadth of the tread and around the whole tyre, with the original grooves clearly visible. That's stricter than the 1.6mm across the central three-quarters you need to drive legally.

Will part-worn tyres pass an MOT?

They can, as long as they meet the same legal tread and condition standards as any other tyre. The risk is less about the MOT and more about hidden damage and age that a visual check can miss.

How can I tell if a part-worn tyre is being sold legally?

Look for the word PART-WORN, in capital letters at least 4mm high, permanently marked next to the E approval mark. Check there's at least 2mm of tread everywhere and no visible damage, and ask whether it's been inflation tested. If it isn't marked, it isn't being sold legally.

Choosing tyres

Part-worn tyres: legal, but are they worth it?

5 min read · Updated 6 October 2026

Part-worn tyres are second-hand tyres, taken off another vehicle and sold on. They're legal in the UK, but only if they meet a strict set of rules, and inspections keep finding that most don't. Here's what the law requires, what the risks are, and what to check if you're thinking about buying one.

Are part-worn tyres legal?

Yes. Their sale is covered by the Motor Vehicle Tyres (Safety) Regulations 1994. It's an offence to sell a part-worn tyre, or even offer one for sale, unless it meets all of these:

At least 2mm of tread across the full width of the tread and all the way round, with the bottom of the original grooves still clearly visible. That's stricter than the 1.6mm needed to drive on a tyre, which only covers the central three-quarters.
Marked "PART-WORN" in capital letters at least 4mm high, next to the tyre's approval mark (a letter E with a number, such as E11). The marking has to be permanent and legible, and it can't be branded or cut into the rubber.
No serious damage. No cut longer than 25mm or 10% of the tyre's width, whichever is greater, deep enough to reach the cords. No lumps, bulges or tears. No cords showing, inside or out.
Sound when inflated. It must be free of those defects when pumped up to the highest pressure it's designed for, so the seller needs to inflate it and inspect it, not just look at it flat.
Its original markings. The approval mark, load index and speed rating that were moulded in when it was made.
Any repair done properly, to the British Standard for tyre repairs, BS AU 159.

Retreaded tyres sold as part-worn have extra marking rules. And the rules apply whether the tyre is sold loose or already fitted to a wheel.

What inspections keep finding

TyreSafe, the UK tyre safety charity, has bought and inspected part-worn tyres for years, often alongside Trading Standards. Across those investigations, more than 93% of the tyres weren't legally compliant, and between a third and a half had defects that made them unsafe. More than one in five were ten years old or more, and nearly one in five had been repaired incorrectly.

In a 2025 operation in Preston, run by Lancashire Trading Standards, TyreSafe and the police, all 30 tyres inspected failed. None had been properly marked or inflation tested. Two had screws in them, one had a sidewall tear, and one was nine years old and showing signs of perishing.

The risks

Unknown history. You don't know whether the tyre was run under-inflated, overloaded, or hit a kerb or pothole hard. That kind of damage can be inside the tyre where you can't see it, and part-worns don't have to be x-rayed before they're sold.
Age. There's no age limit in the part-worn rules, so a tyre can be well past the ten years that tyre makers recommend replacing at. Here's how to check a tyre's age.
Less grip in the wet. Tread clears water from under the tyre. In tests by the British Tyre Manufacturers' Association, a tyre worn to 1.6mm took almost 12 metres longer to stop from 50 mph in the wet than a new one.
Less tyre than it looks. A new tyre usually has around 8mm of tread. A part-worn can have as little as 2mm, and below 1.6mm it's illegal to drive on, so you may be buying very little usable tread and replacing it much sooner.
No label to compare. New tyres come with a label rating their wet grip. Second-hand tyres don't have to.

If you do buy one, check it yourself

Look for "PART-WORN" next to the E mark. If it isn't there, the tyre isn't being sold legally. TyreSafe's advice is to walk away.
Ask whether it's been inflation tested and inspected inside and out.
Measure the tread in several places, across the width and round the tyre. It needs at least 2mm everywhere.
Read the date code. The last four digits after DOT are the week and year it was made.
Look it over before it's fitted, inside and out, for cuts, bulges, cracks, cords showing, or anything stuck in it. If it's been repaired, ask how. A plug pushed in from outside isn't a proper repair.
Match the size, load index and speed rating to what your car needs. Never go lower than the original.

When might a part-worn make sense?

TyreSafe's advice is to buy new, and it's hard to argue with. If you're weighing it up anyway, the case is narrow: a short-term need, a tyre that clearly meets every rule above, a recent date code and decent tread. Once you count how little usable tread you're getting, the saving is often smaller than it looks.

Safer ways to spend less

A budget new tyre. It has full tread, a known date, and a label rating its wet grip, so you can compare. If money is tight, put wet grip first.
Repair rather than replace. A puncture in the central three-quarters of the tread, no bigger than 6mm, can usually be properly repaired. Here's what to do after a puncture.
Replace in pairs. TyreSafe advises fitting tyres as a pair on the same axle if you can't do all four, and says newer tyres on the rear give better control on wet roads.
Make the tyres you have last. Running at the right pressure stops them wearing early. Here's what wrong pressures do to wear.

Whatever you fit, new or used, set the pressures to your car's figures, checked cold, and check them again after a few days.