"Sell used tires" is searched about 1,300 times a month worldwide, according to Ubersuggest, and "where to sell used tires" about the same, with "sell used tires near me" about 880 and "used tire buyers" about 590. These are small numbers beside the recycling and disposal searches in the same family, and they cost about 3 dollars a click. The searchers hold a set of tires taken off a car, and the honest answer for many of them is that the tires are worth little or nothing. This guide explains how to tell which tires can be sold, what buyers check, where they go and what to do with the rest. It belongs to our guide to selling scrap cars, car parts and used tires online, and our Australian companion is Sell Used Tyres, Rims and Wheels in Australia. We quote no prices, because we found no reliable source for what used tires bring. ScrapTrade runs a scrap marketplace and has a commercial interest in the scrap trade.
Can you sell used tires at all?
Usually yes, if they are safe. One source we found says there is no universal legal age limit for resale, only industry practice, and another says it is legal to sell a used tire regardless of age. The condition is what a buyer, and a regulator, will look at. We could not verify any individual state's or country's rules. Several Florida bills in 2013 and 2015 would have defined a used tire as unsafe at 2/32 of an inch of tread or less, and we do not know whether any passed. An aggregator page claimed California requires at least 2/32 inch and New York requires disclosure of prior repairs, and we could not confirm either against a statute. Check the rules where you are before you list a tire.
What to check on each tire
- Tread depth. Tread is measured in 32nds of an inch, and 2/32 inch is the figure most sources give as the legal minimum, at which a tire is worn out. The same sources suggest 4/32 as a practical floor for wet traction, and one seller recommends at least 6/32 for used stock.
- Age. The last four digits of the DOT code give the week and year of manufacture. Most sources point to about six years as a limit regardless of tread, and some cite ten years as an absolute ceiling. These come from retailer blogs, so they are industry practice and not law.
- Damage. Bulges, cuts, cracking and exposed cord on the sidewall are reasons to recycle, not sell.
- Repairs. Sources describe a plug-and-patch as the acceptable standard and a sidewall plug as unsafe. Disclose any repair you know of.
Sell pile and recycle pile
Do not sell a tire you would not fit to your own car. Sort the tires into those with healthy tread, sound sidewalls and a recent date code, which can be sold, and the rest, which are a recycling job and often cost money to dispose of. Our guide to who buys scrap tires, and whether they pay explains what to expect for the second pile, and our guide to tire disposal fees explains who pays. If tires are on rims, treat them as two sales, because an alloy rim has a scrap or resale value of its own and a worn tire on it is a cost.
Where to sell
- To a consumer. Online classifieds and local groups suit sets with good tread. Give the size, brand, tread depth and date code.
- To a tire shop or used-tire retailer. Some buy sets, and some take trade-ins. Ask what tread and age they accept.
- To a wholesaler or exporter. For volume, as our guide to selling used tires in bulk explains.
- To a retreader or casing dealer. For truck tires with sound casings, as the scrap tires guide covers.
- To a recycler. For worn tires, usually at a cost.
We did not review individual retailers' policies, so ask what a shop accepts before you drive a set over.
Where ScrapTrade fits
One set of four is not what ScrapTrade is for, and a classified listing or a local shop is a better route. It becomes relevant for volume: a tire shop clearing used stock, a fleet changing many vehicles, or a wrecker with a yard of takeoffs. ScrapTrade is a scrap marketplace with verified traders in more than 50 countries. Listing is free with no commission, price and terms are negotiated in real time, and when you accept a bid the buyer's 5 percent deposit is held in escrow. Businesses and individuals can both sell after verification. We could not confirm that used tires can be listed on the marketplace, so ask cs@scraptrade.com.au before you plan around it.
What we could not verify
- What used tires sell for. We found no reliable source.
- Sale rules in each state and country. The examples we found are bills and an aggregator page.
- Retailers' used-tire policies.
- Whether ScrapTrade accepts tire lots.
Frequently asked questions
Is it legal to sell used tires?
Often yes, if they are in safe condition, but rules vary and we could not verify them state by state. Check where you live.
How old is too old to sell a tire?
Most sources suggest about six years as a limit, and some give ten as a ceiling. These are industry practice and not law.
What is the minimum tread to sell?
2/32 inch is the common legal minimum, according to the sources we found. Buyers generally want more.
Can I list tires on ScrapTrade?
Verified businesses and individuals can sell. We could not confirm that tires are an accepted category, so ask support first.
Sources
- Ubersuggest keyword data, global, queried November 2026.
- Tire retailer and automotive guides on tread depth, DOT date codes and repairs, and Florida 2013 and 2015 bill analyses, as summarised in search results.
- ScrapTrade website, accessed November 2026.
General information only, not legal or safety advice. Tire rules differ by place. We run a scrap marketplace.