Winter TyresUK Winter Tyres 2026: No Law, 1.6 mm and 3 Points a Tyre
No winter-tyre law in the UK. Every tyre needs 1.6 mm of tread across the central three-quarters, and a defective tyre carries 3 penalty points (CU30).
There is no winter-tyre law in the UK, and no seasonal date in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. The only legal test is the tyre itself: at least 1.6 mm of tread in a continuous band across the central three-quarters of the tread and around the whole circumference. Using a vehicle with a defective tyre carries 3 penalty points (code CU30).
The measurement is stricter than “1.6 mm somewhere”
Regulation 27 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 does not ask for 1.6 mm at the deepest groove. It asks for 1.6 mm throughout a band covering the central 75 % of the tread width, all the way round the tyre. A tyre that is fine in the middle but scrubbed on one shoulder from poor alignment can fail. The rule applies to cars, goods vehicles up to 3,500 kg and light trailers.
Penalty points are recorded under endorsement code CU30 — using a vehicle with defective tyre(s), 3 points on the licence.
Why the question comes up at all
Most of the UK sees little lying snow most winters, and when it arrives, it tends to arrive on a network that is not equipped for it. The Highway Code’s own warning is that stopping distances can be ten times greater on icy or snowy roads than on dry ones (rule 230). Rule 229 makes several things mandatory before you set off in winter: every window cleared of snow and ice, lights clean, number plates legible.
Winter or all-season tyres are a sensible choice for drivers in the Scottish Highlands, the Pennines, mid-Wales and other high routes, and for anyone who cannot avoid driving on untreated rural roads. For most of lowland England, the more useful winter habit is replacing tyres before they approach 1.6 mm: on wet winter roads, grip falls away as tread wears.
Sources
- Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, regulation 27 — 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters and entire circumference.
- GOV.UK, Penalty points (endorsements): endorsement codes — CU30, 3 points.
- GOV.UK, The Highway Code: driving in adverse weather conditions (226 to 237) — rules 229 and 230.
More on the UK
Crossing more than one border this winter? See winter tyre rules, dates and legal tread minimums for every country →
Tyre details
- EU tyre label grades for wet grip and fuel use — What each letter and pictogram on the sticker actually measures.
- What the speed letter on the sidewall allows — H, V, W and Y decoded, plus the sticker rule for lower-rated winter sets.
- Load index: will the tyre carry a loaded car? — The two- or three-digit number that caps weight per tyre.
- Tyre noise ratings in decibels — What the dB figure and the A, B or C class on the label mean inside the car.
- Starting tyre pressure for your size and load — A starting figure in bar and psi, then the door placard has the final word.
Full rules, fines & requirements
Winter tyres, tread depth & rules
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Related Questions
No. There is no winter-tyre law and no seasonal date anywhere in the UK. Summer, all-season and winter tyres are all legal year-round, provided each tyre meets the tread and condition rules.
1.6 mm, in a continuous band across the central three-quarters of the tread and around the entire circumference. It applies to cars, light vans up to 3,500 kg and light trailers.
Using a vehicle with defective tyres is endorsement code CU30 and carries 3 penalty points on the licence. It is charged per offence, so several illegal tyres can add up.
Rule 229 requires you to clear snow and ice from all windows, keep lights and number plates clean and legible, and remove snow that could fall off. Rule 230 warns that stopping distances can be ten times greater than on dry roads.