Checked 21.09.2026
Two limits, not one
- Winter, mandatory period
- 3.0 mm
- Summer
- 1.6 mm
- Serious defect below
- 80%
The summer limit does not apply in winter. In December, 1.6 mm means the requirement is not met, not that it is nearly met.
Source: Transpordiamet, checked 19.09.2026.
How it is measured at inspection
The roadworthiness test looks at the wear indicator moulded into the tread and reaches for a gauge when needed. The indicator is a small bar inside a main groove: when the tread is level with it, the limit has been reached.
Source: Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications regulation No 77, annex 4, tyre check items 7 and 8. Checked 21.09.2026.
Where to measure: the most worn point
Depth is judged by the most worn part of the tyre rather than an average. One worn shoulder takes the whole tyre below the limit even when the centre of the pattern still looks fine.
Uneven wear is a signal in itself: a single worn shoulder usually comes from the wrong pressure or unset alignment. A new tyre will wear the same way unless the cause is dealt with.
What tread depth does not fix
The same list treats it as a defect when one axle carries tyres of different sizes or different construction, and when cord is visible or broken.
| Defect | What is checked | Does tread help |
|---|---|---|
| Different size on one axle | Tyre size on both wheels | No |
| Different construction | A radial together with a cross-ply | No |
| Visible or broken cord | Tread surface and sidewall | No |
| Depth below the limit | Wear indicator or a gauge | Yes |
Source: Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications regulation No 77, annex 4, tyre check items 3–8. Checked 21.09.2026.
When to change in practice
Transpordiamet's road safety expert suggests thinking about replacing a summer tyre already at 2 mm. The legal limit is not the depth at which a tyre still works well — it is the depth at which it may no longer be used.
The gap shows most on a wet road: a shallow pattern cannot clear water out of the grooves fast enough, and braking distance grows before the drive feels noticeably worse.
Source: Transpordiamet, checked 19.09.2026.
Why we print millimetres on a used tyre
Every used-tyre listing states the remaining tread in millimetres. Without it there is nothing to compare a price against: two tyres of the same size with different remaining tread are not the same goods.
- Tyres on sale with a stated depth
- 4243
- Of those below 4 mm
- 67
- Shallowest
- 3 mm
As of 20.09.2026. We hold nothing below 3 mm.