Spare tyre - does it need to be legal?

Associate
Joined
15 Jan 2004
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1,425
Location
Doncaster
Spare tyre

There is no legal obligation to carry a spare tyre and it does not have to comply with the legal requirements while it is stowed away. However, when fitted to the vehicle (for example, following a puncture) it must then comply with the law. A spare tyre is not a testable item in the MOT test, though the examiner may draw your attention to an unserviceable item as a matter of courtesy.

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/legal-advice/tyres.html
 
Associate
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8 Oct 2006
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383
Location
Richmond
needs to be legal for MOT, not that mines ever been checked the amount of suff i have in the boot. (but u don need one for MOT, but of you have one..)
 
Man of Honour
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17 Oct 2002
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29,074
Location
Ottakring, Vienna.
The spare must be legal if it is fitted to the car (ie it is fitted to your hub and driving on the road) A spare in the boot or in the spare wheel cage is not considered to be "fitted"

It does not have to be legal if it is in the boot. It is also not part of the MOT test.
 
Soldato
Joined
16 Jul 2004
Posts
14,075
There's nowhere quite like OcUK for misinformation delivered as fact :p

You just have to think about it - how could you enforce that a spare tyre has to be legal? You could be just transporting an illegal tyre and it would suddenly be deemed "the spare" and you'd be charged!
 
Soldato
Joined
22 May 2003
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10,855
Location
Wigan
A spare in the boot or in the spare wheel cage is not considered to be "fitted"

Good job really, if you can actually get it out of the cage after being stowed under the car for years, its usually illegal due to the cage eating into the side wall over time!
 
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