Ever wondered how to read a tyre code? Every tyre features a tyre code - a string of letters, words and symbols embossed on the tyre's sidewall. It tells you the range, size and specific characteristics of a given tyre, namely: sidewall height; width; aspect ratio; construction type; load index; and speed rating.

Here we provide an example tyre code to help explain what each component means:

205/55 R 14 82 H

205 - the width of the tyre section in millimetres.

55 - the aspect ratio expressed as a percentage - the sidewall height divided by the tyre's width.

R - this is the tyre's construction type - these days most tyres are 'radial' denoted by an 'R'.

82 - This is the load index, which tells you the maximum load the tyre can take when inflated to the maximum safe pressure.

H - this is the speed rating - it's the maximum speed at which the tyre can carry a load. These ratings range from A, the lowest, to Y, the highest. However, 'H' - shown here - is rated between U and V.

Speed Ratings

Speed symbol	Maximum speed km/h	mph
N	140	87
P	150	93
Q	160	99
R	170	106
S	180	112
T	190	118
H	210	130
V	240	149
W	270	168
Y	300	186
ZR	240	149

Load indices

Li	kg	Li	kg
65	290	94	670
66	300	95	690
67	307	96	710
68	315	97	730
69	325	98	750
70	335	99	775
71	345	100	800
72	355	101	825
73	365	102	850
74	375	103	875
75	387	104	900
76	400	105	925
77	412	106	950
78	425	107	975
79	237	108	1000
80	450	110	1030
81	462	110	1060
82	475	111	1100
83	487	112	1120
84	500	113	1150
85	515	114	1180
86	530	115	1215
87	545	116	1250
88	560	117	1285
89	580	118	1320
90	600	119	1360
91	615
92	630
93	650

UTQG code

This stands for ‘Uniform Tire Quality Grading’ and it's a US standard. Since most tyres are also sold in the USA, British and European tyres also feature a UTQG code.

However, you won't find a UTQG code on 4x4 tyres, snow tyres, emergency spare wheels or tyres of 12 inches or under.

Manufacturing information

Your tyres also feature manufacturing information. Here is an example:

DOT BPM2 P711 1218

DOT - Department of Transportation (America)

BP - relates to the plant that made the tyre

M2 - Dimension code

P711 - Additional/optional code

1218 - Week and year of manufacture (In this case week 12 of 2018)

Note: the year of manufacture may instead be denoted by a three digit code. 129, for example, would mean the tyre was made in the 12th month of 1999.

Markings on winter tyres

3PMSF - a symbol with three peaks and snowflake

This stands for ‘3 Peaks Mountain Snow Flake’ and has been tested on snow-covered roads. If the markings also appear with M+S, the tyre is able to handle challenging snow conditions.

M+S

This means the tyre is a "mud and snow" tyre under European regulations. However, it will not have been tested for winter performance.

How to read tyre codes