Tread depth

The minimum UK legal tread depth for car, 4x4 and van tyres up to 3.5t gvw is 1.6mm, over the central ¾ of the tread width, and around the entire circumference of the tyre. Many tyres feature tyre wear indicators within the grooves of the tyres, indicating when your tyres are approaching the legal limit.

For increased safety in the wet, we recommend that you change you tyres when they reach 3mm. An independent test found that braking distances from 70mph in the wet could be 50% longer with 1.6mm of tread compared to 3mm.

If you don’t have a tread depth gauge then the border of a 20p piece can be inserted into the main grooves to see if you tyres are below or above 3mm.