Tyre markings and indices

A practical guide to decoding tyre sidewall markings, speed ratings, load indices and original equipment codes.

The sidewall of every tyre carries a series of numbers, letters and abbreviations. They indicate the tyre's size, its maximum load and speed, the season, technologies and car manufacturer approval. This page brings together all the most common markings with clear explanations, along with speed and load index converters.

The markings are usually found on the tyre's outer sidewall. If you are not sure what one of them means, use the search field or go straight to the relevant section. Many of the markings are linked to a specific selection of tyres in our shop.

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Speed rating

The speed rating is the letter at the end of the size marking (for example, 91V) and shows the maximum permitted speed at which the tyre can travel safely under full load. Choose a tyre with a speed rating no lower than the one your car's manufacturer recommends.

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Load index

The load index is the number before the speed letter (for example, 91V) and shows the maximum weight one tyre can bear. The actual load per axle is worked out by multiplying the value by the number of tyres. Never choose a tyre with a lower load index than stated in your vehicle's documents.

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Original equipment (OE) markings

OE (Original Equipment) markings show that a tyre has been developed and approved by a specific car manufacturer in cooperation with the tyre maker. These tyres are tuned to the chassis and handling of particular models. The marking usually consists of one or more letters and numbers. Below you can see which manufacturer each marking belongs to.

Marking Meaning
* BMW. Tyres marked with (*) are approved by BMW (original equipment). Also suitable for fitting to other vehicles. View tyres →
*1 BMW (latest marking). Tyres marked with (*1) are approved by BMW (original equipment). Also suitable for fitting to other vehicles. View tyres →
i* BMW i electric vehicles. Tyres marked with (i*) are approved by BMW for its electric vehicles (original equipment). Also suitable for fitting to other vehicles. View tyres →
MO Mercedes-Benz. Tyres marked MO are approved by Mercedes-Benz (original equipment). Also suitable for fitting to other vehicles. View tyres →
MO1 Mercedes-AMG. Tyres marked MO1 are approved by Mercedes-Benz for AMG models (original equipment). Also suitable for fitting to other vehicles. View tyres →
MO1AMO1B Mercedes-AMG. Tyres bearing this marking are approved by Mercedes-Benz for AMG models (original equipment). Also suitable for fitting to other vehicles. View tyres →
MO2 Mercedes-AMG. Tyres marked MO2 are approved by Mercedes-Benz for AMG models (original equipment). Also suitable for fitting to other vehicles. View tyres →
MO-P Mercedes Performance. Tyres marked MO-P are approved by Mercedes-Benz for performance models (original equipment). Also suitable for fitting to other vehicles. View tyres →
MOEMOEXTENDED Mercedes Original Extended (RunFlat). Tyres marked MOE are approved by Mercedes-Benz and provide emergency running capability after a loss of pressure (original equipment). View tyres →
MOE-S Mercedes Extended + Silent. Tyres marked MOE-S are approved by Mercedes-Benz; they combine emergency running capability with noise reduction (original equipment). View tyres →
MO-S Mercedes-Benz Silent. Tyres marked MO-S are approved by Mercedes-Benz and have improved noise characteristics (original equipment). Also suitable for fitting to other vehicles. View tyres →
MO-V Mercedes-Benz (V-Class). Tyres marked MO-V are approved by Mercedes-Benz (original equipment). Also suitable for fitting to other vehicles. View tyres →
AO Audi. Tyres marked AO are approved by Audi (original equipment). Also suitable for fitting to other vehicles. View tyres →
AOE Audi RunFlat. Tyres marked AOE are approved by Audi and provide emergency running capability after a loss of pressure (original equipment). View tyres →
AO1AO2AO3 Audi quattro/RS/R8. Tyres bearing this marking are approved by Audi for its sports models (original equipment). Also suitable for fitting to other vehicles. View tyres →
RO1RO2 Audi quattro/RS/R8. Tyres marked RO1 or RO2 have been approved by Audi for its high-performance models (original equipment). Also suitable for fitting to other cars. View tyres →
RO Audi quattro GmbH (sports models). Tyres marked RO have been approved by Audi for its high-performance models (original equipment). Also suitable for fitting to other cars. View tyres →
N0–N6 Porsche. Tyres carrying the Porsche N marking have been approved by Porsche; the number indicates the approval generation, not a quality level (original equipment). View tyres →
NA0–NA6NB0NCNC0ND0ND1NE0NF0NF1NG0 Porsche (model-specific). Tyres carrying this marking have been approved by Porsche for a specific model (original equipment). View tyres →
VOLVO Volvo. Tyres marked VOL have been approved by Volvo (original equipment). Also suitable for fitting to other cars. View tyres →
POL Polestar. Tyres marked POL have been approved by Polestar (original equipment). Also suitable for fitting to other cars. View tyres →
T0T1T2 Tesla. Tyres carrying the Tesla T marking have been approved by Tesla; the number indicates the version generation (original equipment). View tyres →
J Jaguar. Tyres marked J have been approved by Jaguar (original equipment). Also suitable for fitting to other cars. View tyres →
JRS Jaguar (sports specification). Tyres marked JRS have been approved by Jaguar (original equipment). Also suitable for fitting to other cars. View tyres →
LR (LR1–LR5)LRO Land Rover. Tyres marked LR have been approved by Land Rover (original equipment). Also suitable for fitting to other cars. View tyres →
JLR Jaguar Land Rover. Tyres marked JLR have been approved by Jaguar Land Rover (original equipment). Also suitable for fitting to other cars. View tyres →
K1K2K3 Ferrari (Michelin). Tyres marked K1/K2/K3 were developed by Michelin in collaboration with Ferrari and approved by Ferrari (original equipment). View tyres →
FF01–F04 Ferrari (Pirelli). Tyres marked F/F01–F04 were developed by Pirelli in collaboration with Ferrari and approved by Ferrari (original equipment). View tyres →
MGTMGT1 Maserati. Tyres marked MGT have been approved by Maserati (original equipment). Also suitable for fitting to other cars. View tyres →
LL1LBLM Lamborghini. Tyres carrying this marking have been approved by Lamborghini (original equipment). View tyres →
BBCBLBNB1 Bentley. Tyres bearing this marking are approved by Bentley (original equipment). They are also suitable for fitting to other vehicles. View tyres →
AMLAMRAMVAMSAMXAM4A8A Aston Martin. Tyres bearing the Aston Martin code are approved by Aston Martin (original equipment). View tyres →
MCMC1MC2 McLaren. Tyres bearing the MC marking are approved by McLaren (original equipment). They are also suitable for fitting to other vehicles. View tyres →
MC-C McLaren (Pirelli Cyber). Tyres bearing the MC-C marking are approved by McLaren and feature built-in sensor technology (original equipment).
ARARR Alfa Romeo. Tyres bearing the AR marking are approved by Alfa Romeo (original equipment). They are also suitable for fitting to other vehicles. View tyres →
FI Fiat. Tyres bearing the FI marking are approved by Fiat (original equipment). They are also suitable for fitting to other vehicles.
FOFO1FO2 Ford. Tyres bearing the FO marking are approved by Ford (original equipment). They are also suitable for fitting to other vehicles.
TPC General Motors. Tyres bearing the TPC marking are approved by General Motors (original equipment). They are also suitable for fitting to other vehicles. View tyres →
OPOP1 Opel/Vauxhall. Tyres bearing the OP marking are approved by Opel (original equipment). They are also suitable for fitting to other vehicles.
VW Volkswagen. Tyres bearing the VW marking are approved by Volkswagen (original equipment). They are also suitable for fitting to other vehicles. View tyres →
GOE Genesis. Tyres bearing the GOE marking are approved by Genesis (original equipment). They are also suitable for fitting to other vehicles. View tyres →
HN Hyundai. Tyres bearing the HN marking are approved by Hyundai (original equipment). They are also suitable for fitting to other vehicles. View tyres →
H0 Honda/Acura. Tyres bearing the H0 marking are approved by Honda/Acura (original equipment). They are also suitable for fitting to other vehicles.
LX Lexus. Tyres bearing the LX marking are approved by Lexus (original equipment). They are also suitable for fitting to other vehicles.
NR1 Nissan GT-R Nismo. Tyres bearing the NR1 marking are approved by Nissan (original equipment). They are also suitable for fitting to other vehicles.
PE Peugeot. Tyres marked with PE have been approved by Peugeot (original equipment). Also suitable for fitting to other vehicles.
LM1 Lucid. Tyres marked with LM1 have been approved by Lucid (original equipment). Also suitable for fitting to other vehicles. View tyres →
ALP Alpina. Tyres marked ALP are approved by Alpina (original equipment). Also suitable for fitting to other vehicles. View tyres →

Technologies and features

These abbreviations describe a tyre's construction and technologies: reinforced sidewalls, RunFlat capability to keep driving without air, winter certification, noise reduction, off-road tread and other features. The same concept may be labelled differently by different manufacturers.

Marking Meaning
RFT Run Flat Technology (Bridgestone). Tyres marked with RFT are RunFlat-type tyres that let you keep driving for a limited distance at reduced speed after a loss of pressure. View tyres →
ROF Run On Flat (Goodyear/Dunlop/Bridgestone). Tyres marked with ROF are RunFlat-type tyres that let you keep driving for a limited distance at reduced speed after a loss of pressure. View tyres →
SSR Self-Supporting Runflat (Continental). Tyres marked with SSR are self-supporting RunFlat tyres that let you keep driving for a limited distance after a loss of pressure. View tyres →
DSST Dunlop Self-Supporting Technology. Tyres marked with DSST are Dunlop self-supporting RunFlat tyres that let you keep driving for a limited distance after a loss of pressure. View tyres →
ZPZPS Zero Pressure (Michelin/Yokohama). Tyres marked with ZP/ZPS are RunFlat tyres that let you keep driving for a limited distance after a loss of pressure. View tyres →
EMT Extended Mobility Technology (Goodyear). Tyres marked with EMT are RunFlat tyres that let you keep driving for a limited distance after a loss of pressure. View tyres →
RSC RunFlat System Component (Pirelli/BMW). Tyres marked with RSC are RunFlat tyres that let you keep driving for a limited distance after a loss of pressure. View tyres →
HRS Hankook Runflat System. Tyres marked with HRS are Hankook RunFlat tyres that let you keep driving for a limited distance after a loss of pressure. View tyres →
XRP Extended Runflat Performance (Kumho). Tyres marked with XRP are RunFlat tyres that let you keep driving for a limited distance after a loss of pressure. View tyres →
RunFlatRF Generic marking. Tyres with this marking are RunFlat-type tyres; they must be used only with a tyre-pressure monitoring system (TPMS). View tyres →
Seal Inside Pirelli. Tyres with the Seal Inside marking contain an internal sealing layer that automatically seals tread punctures, letting you keep driving without any loss of pressure.
ContiSeal Continental. Tyres with the ContiSeal marking automatically seal tread punctures (up to ~5 mm) without having to change the tyre.
SelfSeal Michelin. Tyres with the SelfSeal marking contain a sealing layer that seals tread punctures up to ~6 mm.
SEALGUARD Hankook. Tyres with the SEALGUARD marking contain a sealing layer that seals tread punctures of up to ~5 mm.
DuraSeal Goodyear. Tyres with the DuraSeal marking contain a sealing layer to seal tread punctures.
B-Seal Bridgestone. Tyres with the B-Seal marking contain a sealing layer to seal tread punctures.
ContiSilent Continental. Tyres with the ContiSilent marking contain an internal foam layer that reduces tyre noise in the cabin.
PNCSNCS Pirelli Noise Cancelling System. Tyres with the PNCS marking contain a sound-absorbing foam layer that reduces driving noise in the cabin.
Acoustic Michelin. Tyres with the Acoustic marking contain a foam layer that reduces cabin noise.
SoundComfortSCT Goodyear. Tyres with this marking contain a sound-absorbing layer to reduce cabin noise.
B-Silent Bridgestone. Tyres with the B-Silent marking contain noise-damping foam.
Sound Absorber Hankook. Tyres with the Sound Absorber marking contain a foam layer to reduce noise.
SilentSil Generic. Tyres with this marking contain an internal foam layer that reduces driving noise in the cabin.
EV Tyres with the EV marking are specially designed for electric vehicles (reinforced construction, low rolling resistance, noise damping).
ELECT Pirelli. Tyres with the ELECT marking are developed by Pirelli for high-performance electric and hybrid vehicles.
EDR Goodyear Electric Drive Ready. Tyres with the EDR marking are developed by Goodyear for electric vehicles.
HL High Load. Tyres with the HL marking can carry a greater load than XL tyres of the same size; intended for heavy electric vehicles and SUVs. Indicated before the size (e.g. HL 245/40 R19).
M+S Mud and Snow. Tyres with the M+S marking are suitable for mud and snow according to the manufacturer's criteria, without standardised winter testing.
3PMSF Three mountain peaks with a snowflake. Tyres bearing the 3PMSF symbol have passed a standardised winter grip test and are officially recognised as winter tyres in the EU. View tyres →
ALL SEASONAS Tyres with this marking are all-season tyres, intended for use in both warm and cool weather. View tyres →
Ш Cyrillic "Sha" - studs. Tyres with this marking are studded winter tyres. View tyres →
XLExtra LoadReinforced Tyres with the XL marking are reinforced and can carry a greater load than standard tyres. View tyres →
SL Standard Load. Tyres with the SL marking are standard-load tyres for normal use.
C Commercial. Tyres with the C marking are commercial (light commercial vehicle) tyres with a higher operating pressure.
CP Camper. Tyres with the CP marking are specially developed for motorhomes (campers) with a reinforced carcass.
LT Light Truck. Tyres with the LT marking are designed for light commercial vehicles and SUVs with a higher load.
FR Felgenrippe / Rim Protector. Tyres with the FR marking are fitted with a rim-protection rib.
FSL Flat Sidewall (Michelin). Tyres with the FSL marking are fitted with a rim-protection rib.
MFS Maximum Flange Shield. Tyres with the MFS marking are fitted with a maximum rim-protection rib.
RBL Raised Black Letters. Tyres with the RBL marking have raised black lettering on the sidewall.
RWL Raised White Letters. Tyres with the RWL marking have raised white lettering on the sidewall.
OWL Outlined White Letters. Tyres with the OWL marking have outlined white lettering on the sidewall.
WSW White Sidewall. Tyres with the WSW marking have a white sidewall stripe.
BSW Black Sidewall. Tyres with the BSW marking have a standard black sidewall.
DA Defective Appearance. Tyres with the DA marking have a minor cosmetic defect that does not affect safety.
NHS Not for Highway Service. Tyres with the NHS marking are not intended for use on public roads.
TL Tubeless. Tyres with the TL marking are tubeless tyres.
TT Tube Type. Tyres with the TT marking must be used with an inner tube.
All-Terrain All-Terrain (A/T). Versatile tyres with a balanced tread, suitable for both tarmac and light off-road terrain (gravel, mud, snow). View tyres →
Mud-Terrain Mud-Terrain (M/T). Off-road tyres with an aggressive, open tread designed for mud, rocks and rough off-road terrain; noisier and with less grip on tarmac. View tyres →
Rugged-Terrain Rugged-Terrain (R/T). A hybrid between A/T and M/T - a more aggressive off-road tread that still keeps acceptable comfort and quietness on tarmac. View tyres →
Semi-Slick Semi-Slick. Sports tyres with minimal tread and a soft compound for maximum grip on dry tarmac; intended for track and road use, with limitations in wet conditions. View tyres →
Track Track (cup/trackday) tyres. High-performance racing tyres for driving on the track; limited for road use. View tyres →
Drift Drift tyres. Rear-axle tyres with a hard compound and a construction that resists overheating during controlled sliding (drifting). View tyres →

Indexes and other markings

Additional markings on the tyre sidewall show the date of manufacture, compliance with standards, the tread wear indicator and the mounting direction.

Marking Meaning
DOT Department of Transportation. The DOT code certifies compliance with US standards; the last four digits indicate the week and year of manufacture.
Ee + numurs ECE homologation. The marking certifies the tyre's compliance with European standards; the number indicates the country of approval.
TWI Tread Wear Indicator. Indicates the location of the tread wear indicator; the minimum tread depth is 1.6 mm.
Load Index A number indicating the maximum load capacity of a single tyre according to the standard table.
Speed Rating A letter indicating the maximum permitted speed: Q=160, R=170, S=180, T=190, H=210, V=240, W=270, Y=300 km/h.
ZR Indicates a tyre with a speed category above 240 km/h.
(Y) Indicates a speed category above 300 km/h.
R Radial. Indicates radial tyre construction.
UTQG US quality rating: wear resistance, wet grip and temperature resistance.
MAX LOADMAX PRESS Indicates the maximum load and the maximum permitted pressure.
ROTATIONbultiņa Indicates the direction of wheel rotation for directional tyres.
OUTSIDEINSIDE Indicates the outer and inner side of asymmetric tyres for correct fitting.

How to read tyre markings

Let's take a typical marking, 225/45 R17 91V XL:

  • 225 - tyre width in millimetres.
  • 45 - profile height as a percentage of the width (here 45% of 225 mm, roughly 101 mm).
  • R - radial construction.
  • 17 - rim diameter in inches.
  • 91 - load index (here 615 kg per tyre).
  • V - speed rating (here up to 240 km/h).
  • XL - a reinforced tyre with a higher load reserve.

Check that the tyre size and ratings meet your car manufacturer's requirements. You will find the correct sizes in the vehicle documents, on the driver's door pillar or on the fuel filler cap.

Frequently asked questions

The size, load index and speed rating, as well as technology markings, appear on the tyre's outer sidewall. The date of manufacture (DOT) and sometimes additional markings may be on the inner sidewall.
No. The M+S (Mud and Snow) marking is applied by the manufacturer itself without any mandatory testing, and it only describes the tread type. Genuine winter performance is confirmed by the 3PMSF symbol (a mountain with a snowflake), which is awarded after a snow grip test. In Germany, Austria and several other European countries, only 3PMSF tyres count as winter tyres.
Not always. A higher speed rating is permitted and gives an extra margin, but it often comes with stiffer sidewalls and can mean a firmer ride or faster wear in everyday driving. Choose the rating that matches your car manufacturer's requirements rather than assuming that higher always means better.
Yes. A higher speed rating is allowed. You must not choose a lower rating than the manufacturer recommends, with the exception of certified winter tyres, which are covered by separate rules.
No. The load index shows the maximum weight one tyre can carry at a specified pressure. The total load capacity is worked out by multiplying it by the number of tyres. For example, index 91 (615 kg) on four tyres corresponds to 2460 kg.
XL (Extra Load) denotes a reinforced tyre with a higher maximum load at a specified pressure. It is often used on heavier and more powerful cars. XL is not a universal mark of quality - on a light car it can make the ride firmer.
It shows that the tyre has been approved for a specific car manufacturer. MO belongs to Mercedes-Benz, while the star symbol belongs to BMW. These tyres are precisely tuned to the handling of the models in question, but they are not compulsory as long as you choose a tyre with the right size and ratings.
No. A RunFlat tyre only lets you continue driving after a loss of pressure for a limited distance and at reduced speed. The exact distance and speed are specified by the tyre manufacturer, and after driving like this the tyre usually needs to be replaced.
The year of manufacture (DOT) is not an expiry date. A tyre's condition depends on its tread depth, storage conditions and the elasticity of the rubber, not just its age. Several manufacturers advise assessing tyres older than five to ten years, but the deciding factor is their actual condition.
The production date is shown by the last four digits of the DOT code: the first two are the week and the last two are the year. For example, 3623 means week 36 of 2023.

Speed rating table

CodeMax. (km/h)Max. (mph)
B 50 km/h 31 mph
C 60 km/h 37 mph
D 65 km/h 40 mph
E 70 km/h 43 mph
F 80 km/h 50 mph
G 90 km/h 56 mph
J 100 km/h 62 mph
K 110 km/h 68 mph
L 120 km/h 75 mph
M 130 km/h 81 mph
N 140 km/h 87 mph
P 150 km/h 93 mph
Q 160 km/h 99 mph
R 170 km/h 106 mph
S 180 km/h 112 mph
T 190 km/h 118 mph
U 200 km/h 124 mph
H 210 km/h 130 mph
V 240 km/h 149 mph
ZR 240+ km/h 149+ mph
W 270 km/h 168 mph
Y 300 km/h 186 mph
(Y) 300+ km/h 186+ mph

Load index table

Indexkg (1 tyre)kg (4 tyres)
40 140 kg 560 kg
41 145 kg 580 kg
42 150 kg 600 kg
43 155 kg 620 kg
44 160 kg 640 kg
45 165 kg 660 kg
46 170 kg 680 kg
47 175 kg 700 kg
48 180 kg 720 kg
49 185 kg 740 kg
50 190 kg 760 kg
51 195 kg 780 kg
52 200 kg 800 kg
53 206 kg 824 kg
54 212 kg 848 kg
55 218 kg 872 kg
56 224 kg 896 kg
57 230 kg 920 kg
58 236 kg 944 kg
59 243 kg 972 kg
60 250 kg 1000 kg
61 257 kg 1028 kg
62 265 kg 1060 kg
63 272 kg 1088 kg
64 280 kg 1120 kg
65 290 kg 1160 kg
66 300 kg 1200 kg
67 307 kg 1228 kg
68 315 kg 1260 kg
69 325 kg 1300 kg
70 335 kg 1340 kg
71 345 kg 1380 kg
72 355 kg 1420 kg
73 365 kg 1460 kg
74 375 kg 1500 kg
75 387 kg 1548 kg
76 400 kg 1600 kg
77 412 kg 1648 kg
78 425 kg 1700 kg
79 437 kg 1748 kg
80 450 kg 1800 kg
81 462 kg 1848 kg
82 475 kg 1900 kg
83 487 kg 1948 kg
84 500 kg 2000 kg
85 515 kg 2060 kg
86 530 kg 2120 kg
87 545 kg 2180 kg
88 560 kg 2240 kg
89 580 kg 2320 kg
90 600 kg 2400 kg
91 615 kg 2460 kg
92 630 kg 2520 kg
93 650 kg 2600 kg
94 670 kg 2680 kg
95 690 kg 2760 kg
96 710 kg 2840 kg
97 730 kg 2920 kg
98 750 kg 3000 kg
99 775 kg 3100 kg
100 800 kg 3200 kg
101 825 kg 3300 kg
102 850 kg 3400 kg
103 875 kg 3500 kg
104 900 kg 3600 kg
105 925 kg 3700 kg
106 950 kg 3800 kg
107 975 kg 3900 kg
108 1000 kg 4000 kg
109 1030 kg 4120 kg
110 1060 kg 4240 kg
111 1090 kg 4360 kg
112 1120 kg 4480 kg
113 1150 kg 4600 kg
114 1180 kg 4720 kg
115 1215 kg 4860 kg
116 1250 kg 5000 kg
117 1285 kg 5140 kg
118 1320 kg 5280 kg
119 1360 kg 5440 kg
120 1400 kg 5600 kg
121 1450 kg 5800 kg
122 1500 kg 6000 kg
123 1550 kg 6200 kg
124 1600 kg 6400 kg
125 1650 kg 6600 kg
126 1700 kg 6800 kg
127 1750 kg 7000 kg
128 1800 kg 7200 kg
129 1850 kg 7400 kg
130 1900 kg 7600 kg
131 1950 kg 7800 kg
132 2000 kg 8000 kg
133 2060 kg 8240 kg
134 2120 kg 8480 kg
135 2180 kg 8720 kg

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