Are second-hand tyres legal in Queensland?
Yes. Second-hand tyres are legal in Queensland as long as they meet the same requirements as any tyre in use: at least 1.5mm of tread across the tread surface, no sidewall damage or exposed cord, and the correct size and load rating for the vehicle. A used tyre meeting those requirements will also pass a safety certificate inspection.
Short answer: yes, and the law does not care whether a tyre was bought new or used. It cares about the condition of the tyre on the car.
The standard a used tyre has to meet
- At least 1.5mm of tread depth across the tread surface
- No cuts, bulges, exposed cord or other sidewall damage
- Correct size, load rating and speed rating for the vehicle
- No damage from being run flat
- Any previous repair carried out properly, in a repairable area
A used tyre that meets all of that is legal to fit, legal to drive on, and will pass a safety certificate inspection.
Where second-hand genuinely makes sense
It is not always the right answer, but there are situations where paying new-tyre money is simply not the sensible call:
- You are selling the car and it needs to pass a safety certificate
- One tyre is damaged and the other three still have plenty of life
- The car is older and you are not planning to keep it long
- You need a legal spare
- The realistic alternative is continuing to drive on something illegal
Where it does not
If you are keeping the car for years, doing serious distance, or the available sizes do not properly suit the vehicle, new is the better buy and a decent workshop will tell you so.
Mixing used and existing tyres
Tyres should be matched in size and construction across an axle. Some all-wheel-drive vehicles are also sensitive to differences in rolling diameter between tyres, which is a drivetrain problem rather than a legal one. If in doubt, have the car looked at rather than guessing.
A Grade Tyre & Auto handles this at the workshop on Lawrence Drive, Nerang.
General information only, current as at 11 September 2026. Requirements change and individual circumstances differ — for anything that turns on your specific situation, check with Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads on 13 23 80 or at qld.gov.au.