Tyre labelling

Following labelling requirements is mandatory for all manufacturers and importers of tyres in the EU. Learn more about current regulations and ensure compliance in the Irish market.

EU tyre labelling requirements aim to help consumers make an informed decision when they buy or replace tyres. Tyres account for 20% to 30% of a vehicle's energy usage, so selecting the right one is important.

EU tyre labels highlight different characteristics about a tyre's performance including:

  • fuel efficiency
  • wet grip
  • external rolling noise

Your obligations for tyre labelling

Manufacturers and importers of tyres in the EU market are required to:

  • ensure that tyres delivered to distributors are equipped with a sticker on the tyre tread displaying a label that indicates:​
  1. fuel efficiency
  2. wet grip class
  3. external rolling noise class and measured value
  • provide the correct sticker format that meets the requirements of the regulation
  • make technical documents available to the Market Surveillance Authority (MSA) team on request. These documents should be sufficiently detailed to allow the accuracy of the information provided on the label to be assessed

Guidance on labelling

The MSA team has created a useful guide with details about tyre labels at the point of sale, online sales, advertising tyres and product information sheets. The guide is at your service via the following link.

Find out moreabout Guidance on labelling

The product database (EPREL)

All tyres that have been produced since June 25th 2020 and placed on the market after that date must be registered on the EPREL database.

Registering tyres placed on the market before June 25th 2020 which are no longer being placed on the market is optional. 'Produced' in this instance refers to when the tyre is manufactured, as is typically indicated in four digits on the tyre sidewall e.g.1720, the first two digits represent the week of production during a year (1 to 52) and the second two digits represent the year of production.

Suppliers must enter information into the product database before the tyre is placed on the market. The information relating to each tyre type must continue to be made available by the supplier on the product database for five years after the final unit of a tyre type has been placed on the market. Find more information on product registration below.

Discover EPREL

Understanding the label

EU tyre labels provide standardised measurements on rolling resistance, braking on wet surfaces and external noise.

An annotated example of a tyre label is shown below.

Example of a tyre label

Recent updates

Tyre labels apply to the following vehicle types:

  • C1: passenger cars
  • C2: vans and light trucks
  • C3: heavy trucks

The tyre labelling legislation was originally introduced in 2012 under Regulation (EC) No 1222/2009 and has since been updated in 2021 under Regulation (EU) 2020/740. New rules extend to cover bus and truck tyres, and introduce options to show if the tyres are suitable for use in severe snow conditions or in extreme climatic situations.

More changes to labels are expected in the future including additional details that will help consumers select the safest and most efficient tyres.

Useful links and publications

Have questions?

If you have any questions about energy labelling and ecodesign in Ireland, our team is here to help. Contact a member of the MSA to learn more about EU requirements.

Call: 01 8082100

Email: [email protected]