Some of the calls we take in Glasgow start after the police have already gone. A driver stopped at the roadside, told the car is not going anywhere on that tyre, now standing at the kerb searching this exact question.
So here are the numbers first. The fine for driving on a bald tyre can be up to £2,500, with 3 penalty points per tyre. The endorsement code is CU30, and it stays on a licence for 4 years.
There is also something the other pages will not tell you: reputable sources genuinely disagree about how the points are counted, per tyre or per offence. We deal with that honestly further down, because it is the difference between an expensive mistake and a possible ban.
One thing to say plainly before we start. This is general information about how UK road traffic law works, not legal advice, and anything about your own case should go to a solicitor. We fit tyres. We do not practise law.
The Short Answer
Driving on a bald or defective tyre can bring a fine of up to £2,500 and 3 penalty points per tyre. Four defective tyres is commonly quoted as up to £10,000. The endorsement code is CU30, it stays on your licence for 4 years, and 12 points in 3 years means a minimum 6 month ban.
The full penalty picture in one table:
| Element | Position |
| Maximum fine | Up to £2,500 per defective tyre |
| Penalty points | 3 per tyre in sentencing guidance, see the conflict section below |
| Endorsement code | CU30, using a vehicle with defective tyres |
| Time on licence | 4 years |
| Totting-up threshold | 12 points in 3 years, minimum 6 month disqualification |
Where the Fine for Driving on a Bald Tyre Comes From
A quick recap of the offence itself, because the fine only makes sense against it. A bald tyre in law is one below 1.6mm of tread across the central three-quarters of the breadth, around the complete circumference. A tyre can also be defective on condition grounds: cuts reaching the ply or cord, lumps, bulges, tears from separation and exposed cord.
The offence sits in Section 41A of the Road Traffic Act 1988, working with the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986. Each defective tyre is capable of being treated as its own offence, which is where the multiplication in the next section comes from.
We cover what makes a tyre illegal, where the tread is measured and how to check your own in our full guide to worn tyre law, so this page stays on the penalty itself.
How the Fine Is Calculated Per Tyre
Up to £2,500 for One Defective Tyre
The maximum fine for a single defective tyre on a car is £2,500. A maximum is worth understanding properly: it is the ceiling a court can impose, not the amount a typical case attracts.
The actual figure in any case depends on the circumstances and on the court. These are maximum figures a court can impose, not the amount a typical case attracts, and this page cannot predict an individual outcome. What the maximum tells you is how seriously the law treats one worn tyre.
Where the £10,000 Figure Comes From
We once attended a used car bought in good faith where all four corners were down to the wear indicators. The owner had just read the £10,000 headline and wanted to know if it was real.
It is real arithmetic, not invention. Four defective tyres, treated as four separate offences, at up to £2,500 each, gives the commonly quoted £10,000. It is a commonly quoted aggregate maximum rather than a standard penalty, and it is the figure most headlines run because it is the biggest one available. The honest version: the ceiling exists, most cases land well below it, and nobody should be planning their week around either fact.
Vans, Commercial Vehicles and Why the Stakes Are Higher
For a sole trader, the vehicle is the income, so points and a possible ban threaten the livelihood rather than the weekend. Worth knowing too that goods vehicles over 3,500kg run to a 1mm tread minimum rather than 1.6mm, with the vehicle class rules covered in our worn tyre law guide. The penalty structure is the same. The cost of losing the licence is not.
Is It 3 Points Per Tyre or 3 Points for the Offence?
Search this question and you will find two confident answers that contradict each other. Nobody in this SERP admits that, so we will.
| Source | Position |
| The RAC | 3 penalty points for the offence, irrespective of the number of tyres |
| Sentencing guidance and road traffic law sources | 3 penalty points per defective tyre |
| The safe way to plan | Assume 3 points per tyre, knowing courts have discretion |
What the RAC Says
The RAC, one of the most cited motoring authorities in the country, states that you would receive 3 penalty points for the offence irrespective of the number of tyres involved. On that reading, four bald tyres carry heavy fines but a single 3 point endorsement. This is the position of a major motoring authority, presented in good faith, and it is the answer most drivers find first.
What Sentencing-Focused Sources Say
Sentencing guidance and road traffic law sources describe it differently: 3 penalty points per defective tyre. On that reading, four bald tyres can mean 12 points, which is exactly the totting-up threshold. This is why road traffic defence work exists around tyre cases at all, and why the question deserves more than a one-line answer.
How to Read This Safely
Sources differ on this, and the safest way to plan is to assume 3 points per defective tyre while knowing that courts have discretion in how a case is dealt with.
The parts that are not in dispute: the fine can be charged per tyre, up to £2,500 each. Reaching 12 points in 3 years means a minimum 6 month disqualification. And how an individual case is dealt with depends on the circumstances and is a matter for the police and the courts.
The honest answer is that the position is not applied identically in every case, which is why two trustworthy sources say different things. Anyone facing a real charge should take advice from a solicitor rather than from a tyre fitter or a motoring blog.
For what it is worth, the version we work to on the road is the cautious one. The driver planning around 3 points for the lot is the one who gets caught out.
CU30, Your Licence and the Totting-Up Rule
The fine is paid once. The endorsement is the part that follows you, because CU30 sits on the licence for 4 years and feeds the 12 points in 3 years totting-up threshold.
What CU30 Means
CU30 is the endorsement code for using a vehicle with defective tyres. A conviction stays on the licence for 4 years.
This is the code an insurer sees and asks about at every renewal in that window. It is why a tyre offence costs more than the fine: the fine is a single payment, while the endorsement is a four year answer to the question “any convictions?”.
12 Points in 3 Years
The totting-up rule is exact: 12 or more penalty points within 3 years means a minimum 6 month disqualification.
This is why the per tyre reading matters so much, since one bad day on four tyres could reach the threshold on that reading alone. In practice, most drivers who arrive at 12 do it through a combination of offences, speeding and tyres and the rest, accumulated across the window. Points you already carry are the real multiplier here.
Special Reasons and Exceptional Hardship
Two recognised arguments exist against disqualification. Special reasons relate to the circumstances of the offence itself, such as how the defect arose. Exceptional hardship relates to the consequences of a ban going beyond ordinary inconvenience.
Whether either argument applies is a matter for a court on the facts of the case, and a solicitor is the person to advise on it. Neither is a formality, and this page will not pretend otherwise.
Fixed Penalty or Court?
Defective tyre cases travel one of two routes.
Some are dealt with by a fixed penalty, with a set fine and points, handled without a court appearance. Others go to court, particularly where several tyres are involved, where the vehicle is judged dangerous, or where the driver contests the matter. A court has discretion on the amount of the fine and on how the offences are treated, which is one reason outcomes vary between cases that look similar from the outside.
There is no reliable way to predict from a web page which route a given stop will take, and we are not going to invent one. How an individual case is dealt with depends on the circumstances and is a matter for the police and the courts. This, again, is general information rather than legal advice, and the moment a real charge lands is the moment to speak to a solicitor.
What a Bald Tyre Does to Your Insurance
The consequence most penalty pages skip, and often the most expensive one.
The Roadworthiness Condition
Motor policies typically carry a condition requiring the vehicle to be kept in a roadworthy condition. A defective tyre can be treated as a breach of the policy condition to keep the vehicle roadworthy, which can reduce or void a claim and can raise future premiums.
Read that carefully. It does not say a claim will be refused. It says the insurer has a lever, and a bald tyre hands it to them at the worst possible moment, which is the moment you need the policy to work.
What That Looks Like After an Accident
The generic shape is this. An accident happens, the claim is investigated, and the tyres are examined as part of it. A tyre below the legal limit can become part of the picture, and the settlement may be reduced or the claim may be challenged.
Every word there is “can” and “may” rather than “will”, because outcomes depend on the policy and the facts. We cover the detail separately in our guide to whether worn tyres can void an insurance claim.
The Premium You Pay Afterwards
A CU30 endorsement has to be declared for the 4 years it sits on the licence, and a declared conviction can raise future premiums. No figures exist worth quoting, because pricing varies by insurer and driver. The point is simply that the metre keeps running long after the fine is paid.
Stopped and Told You Cannot Drive the Car Away
This is where the search usually ends for the drivers who call us, so here is the practical part.
What Actually Happens at the Roadside
The calls have a shape we know well. A driver stopped on a Glasgow road, or turned away from an MOT, told the tyre is not roadworthy. No usable spare, or a space-saver they do not trust, or a jack that has never left its foam. Fairly often, a locking wheel nut key that nobody can find.
None of that changes the answer much. A fitter comes to the car instead of the car going anywhere. If the key really is gone, locking wheel nut removal is a real service at £45 to £60, agreed on the call like everything else.
Getting a Legal Tyre Fitted Where the Car Is
Send a photo of the tyre sidewall on WhatsApp to 07955 533000 with your postcode. You get one total on the call, before the van moves, and nothing is added at the roadside. Emergency tyre replacement in Glasgow runs the same way at any hour.
Across Glasgow and the Central Belt the average arrival is 30 to 45 minutes, and most drivers are back on the road within 20 to 40 minutes of the van arriving. Arrival times outside the Central Belt are given on the call for your exact location.
As a guide, a budget tyre fitted runs £60 to £100, mid-range £90 to £150, premium from £140 to £280, and van and commercial tyres £90 to £200, in line with new tyres fitted at home across Scotland, with stock from Landsail and Triangle through Falken, Hankook and Yokohama up to Michelin, Continental and Bridgestone. Payment is card at the vehicle, contactless included, after the work is finished.
If You Are on a Motorway
We will not soften this one. Live motorway lanes are not attended, and no fitting is done on the hard shoulder.
If you are stuck in a live lane, stay in the vehicle, seatbelt on, hazards on, and dial 999 immediately. If you can reach safety, get as far left as possible, hazards on, leave by the left hand doors and get behind the safety barrier away from traffic before calling anyone. Traffic Scotland is on 0800 028 1414. Fitting happens once the vehicle is somewhere safe: a service area, a junction, a car park, a home or a workplace. There is more in what to do when you get a flat on a smart motorway and a flat tyre on the motorway in Scotland.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fine for driving on a bald tyre?
Up to £2,500 and 3 penalty points per defective tyre, with the endorsement code CU30 staying on your licence for 4 years. These are maximum figures a court can impose, not the amount a typical case attracts, and each defective tyre can be treated separately.
How many penalty points do you get for a bald tyre?
Sentencing guidance describes 3 penalty points per defective tyre, while the RAC states 3 points for the offence regardless of tyre count. Sources differ, and the safest way to plan is to assume 3 points per tyre while knowing courts have discretion.
Can you be fined £10,000 for four bald tyres?
That figure is real arithmetic: four defective tyres treated as four offences at up to £2,500 each. It is a commonly quoted aggregate maximum rather than a typical outcome, and actual amounts depend on the circumstances and the court.
What does CU30 mean and how long does it last?
CU30 is the endorsement code for using a vehicle with defective tyres. A conviction stays on your licence for 4 years, has to be declared to insurers in that window, and counts towards the 12 points in 3 years totting-up threshold.
Can you lose your licence for bald tyres?
It is possible. Reaching 12 or more points within 3 years brings a minimum 6 month disqualification under totting-up, and on the per tyre reading four bald tyres could reach that alone. Whether it happens in a given case is a matter for the court.
Does a bald tyre invalidate your car insurance?
It can affect a claim. A defective tyre can be treated as a breach of the policy condition to keep the vehicle roadworthy, which can reduce or void a claim and can raise future premiums. The outcome depends on the policy and the facts.
Can you drive home on a bald tyre after being stopped?
Whether a vehicle is safe to move is decided by inspection, and if a tyre has exposed cord, a bulge or a tear the safest answer is not to drive it. A mobile fitter can replace the tyre where the car stands instead.
How quickly can a replacement tyre reach me in Glasgow?
Across Glasgow and the Central Belt the average arrival is 30 to 45 minutes, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in all weather. Most drivers are back on the road within 20 to 40 minutes of the van arriving, with one total agreed on the call first.
Get the Car Legal Again Tonight
Call or WhatsApp 07955 533000 with a sidewall photo and your postcode. We are 24/7 Mobile Tyre Services, family run for over 20 years with fully certified technicians, based at 100 Jessie St, Polmadie, Glasgow G42 0PG, covering the City Centre, Southside, West End, Partick, Govan and Dennistoun plus Paisley, Rutherglen, Clydebank and East Kilbride, 24 hours a day in all weather.
A fitter can make the car legal again tonight. A solicitor is who you speak to about a charge. Everything on this page is general information about UK road traffic law rather than advice on your case.
