TyresMedium repair priority

Tyre Worn Close to the Legal Limit: What It Means on an MOT

Plain-English guidance on the MOT wording, likely repair, indicative UK cost and what can happen if the condition gets worse.

What does tyre worn close to the legal limit mean?

The tyre was still legal at the time of the MOT but is approaching the minimum tread or shows wear that may soon require replacement.

Indicative UK repair cost

£70–£160 per tyre

Actual cost varies by vehicle, parts, labour rate and severity.

Likely repair

Replace the tyre when required and investigate alignment or suspension causes if wear is uneven.

Could it fail a future MOT?

Yes. Once tread or condition falls below the legal/MOT standard, the tyre can fail the MOT and may be illegal for road use.

What should you do next?

Check the current tread depth and wear pattern, and budget for replacement soon if the tyre has not already been changed.

Have different MOT wording?

Paste the exact line from your MOT certificate into our decoder. It only returns a result when the wording matches a reviewed defect record.

Use the MOT Defect Decoder →