Speed Index on Tires: Table of All Letters and Rules

The speed rating is the letter at the end of your tire designation: For a tire size 205/55 R16 91V, the V means that the tire is approved for speeds up to 240 km/h. The rule behind it is simple: The index of your tires must at least cover the top speed of your car as entered in the vehicle registration certificate; more is always allowed, less only for winter tires with a warning sticker. Here you will find the complete table of all letters, the rules in detail, and the answers to the most common combined questions like "91H".

Note: The information in your vehicle documents and the marking on the tire itself are always binding. The table below reflects the standardized assignments (as of 2026); for special cases such as ZR designations of older high-speed tires, a look at the manufacturer's approval helps.

1. The table: all speed ratings from J to Y

Two pitfalls in the table: The H is not alphabetical, but historically placed between U and V. It means 210 km/h and not "High Speed" somewhere further down. And a Y in parentheses, written (Y), denotes tires approved for more than 300 km/h. The designation ZR within the size specification (e.g., 225/50 ZR16) comes from an older system for tires over 240 km/h; for modern tires, the relevant letter is still at the end of the service description. In everyday life, you will primarily encounter T and H for winter and all-season tires, and H, V, and W for summer tires; U is comparatively rare because many manufacturers simply skip the gap between T and H.

2. Where to find the index: tire and vehicle registration certificate

On the tire, the index is at the end of the size designation on the sidewall, always directly after the load index: For "205/55 R16 91V", 91 is the load index and V is the speed index. What the other characters mean is fully explained in the guide Reading tire designations.

In the vehicle registration certificate, you need two pieces of information. The registered tire sizes, including the service description, can be found in Registration Certificate Part I in fields 15.1 and 15.2. The design-related top speed of your vehicle is in Field T, and it is against this value that the index is checked. An overview of all fields is provided in the article Vehicle registration certificate explained.

Important to know: Fields 15.1 and 15.2 only list the tires registered ex-works, often a single size per axle. Further approved sizes with their service descriptions can be found in your vehicle's EC Certificate of Conformity (CoC) or in the documents of a wheel approval. When switching to different wheels, the check therefore always applies to the specific new combination: size, load index, and speed index must together match the vehicle and approval, not just the letter alone.

3. The basic rule: at least as fast as the car

The requirement is very clear: The speed rating of the fitted tires must cover the design-related maximum speed of the vehicle. If your car, according to field T, goes up to 208 km/h, an H-rated tire (210 km/h) is sufficient; for 215 km/h, at least a V-rated tire must be on the car. A higher index is always permissible: A V- or W-rated tire on a car that goes 190 km/h is legally completely uncritical; you only pay for reserves that you will never fully utilize.

The index, by the way, is not an advertising promise but the result of standardized test runs in which the tire must permanently withstand the respective speed under load. That's why it's also closely related to load capacity: Both values together form the service description, and both must match the registration. The load capacity side with a complete number table can be found in the companion guide Load Index and Load Capacity.

4. The exception: winter tires with a lower index

For winter tires (identifiable by M+S or the Alpine symbol with a snowflake), you are allowed to use a lower speed rating than specified in the registration, for example, T-rated winter tires (190 km/h) on a car that goes 230 km/h. The condition: A warning sticker indicating the maximum permissible speed of the tires must be affixed within the driver's field of vision, and you simply may not drive faster than this value, even if the car could. Many modern vehicles also allow the speed limit to be stored in the on-board menu; this does not replace the sticker according to current regulations but helps in everyday life.

This exception becomes particularly relevant for fast vehicles, as the availability of winter tires with very high indices is thinner. An example case: A sedan with a design-related top speed of 250 km/h would, without exception, need at least W-rated winter tires; with the sticker rule, it can switch to common V- or H-rated winter tires, as long as the driver and speedometer adhere to their limit. When winter tires are mandatory and what the Alpine symbol exactly means is covered in the guide on Winter Tire Obligation.

If several permissible indices are available in the shop, decide pragmatically: For frequent autobahn drivers, the reserve of a higher letter is worthwhile; for city and country road profiles, the lower permissible index is often the more comfortable choice. You won't do anything wrong as long as the minimum requirement from the registration is safely met.

5. Correctly reading combined values: what "91H" and Co. mean

The most frequent search queries revolve around combinations like 91H, 94V, or 88T, and the resolution is always the same: The number is the load index (91 stands for 615 kilograms load capacity per tire), the letter is the speed index (H for 210 km/h). So, a 91H carries as much as a 91V but cannot be driven as fast; a 94V carries more than a 91V at the same speed. When buying tires, both values must at least correspond to the information in your documents; exceeding both dimensions is permitted.

Another reading tip for older hands in the tire world: designations like "VR" or "ZR" in the middle of the size come from the time before W and Y were introduced. For such tires, the manufacturer's specific approval is part of the purchase decision; modern new tires carry the clear service description at the end.

And because the question comes up regularly: Even trailer tires have speed ratings; low letters like J to N are completely normal there, because trailers are subject to their own speed limits anyway. For all-season tires, H and V are the common indices; anyone who equips a very fast vehicle year-round should look closely here, because the sticker exception only applies to tires suitable for winter and does not exempt from looking at the actual designation.

6. Why the index is technically more than a speed limit

Behind the letter lies physics: With increasing speed, centrifugal forces, flexing, and heat generation in the tire increase, and it is precisely for this that it is tested under load in the test run. High-speed tires require stiffer sidewalls, more heat-stable compounds, and a tauter carcass. This also explains the flip side of the "more is always allowed" rule: A W-rated tire on a compact car is legally sound but often rides harder and sometimes louder than the appropriate H- or V-rated tire, because its construction is designed for reserves that the car never utilizes. Conversely, tires age regardless of the index; a ten-year-old Y-rated tire is no longer a high-speed tire but a case for an age inspection.

For the purchase decision, this means: Choose the index appropriate to the vehicle plus a sensible reserve, not maximum. The saved hardness benefits comfort and often also rolling noise, and the requirements from the registration and approval are still met.

7. Index and tire purchase at zrshop

In our tire search, you select width, aspect ratio, and inch; the service description of the displayed tires is in the product title, so you can directly compare the load index and speed index with your documents. In our assortment, we carry tires from Berlin Tires and Syron, as well as complete wheels; for the latter, the same index check applies, only in addition to the rim approval. When in doubt, the simple order is: first read Field T and fields 15.1/15.2 in the registration, then choose tires with at least these values.

To the tire search: Select size and view suitable tires

FAQ on Speed Rating

Which speed rating do I need?

At least the one that covers the design-related maximum speed of your vehicle (Field T in the vehicle registration certificate). A higher index is always permissible.

Can I use tires with a higher speed rating?

Yes, without restriction. A higher letter only means more tested speed reserve; there are no legal or technical objections.

What applies to winter tires with a lower speed rating?

Permitted if a warning sticker indicating the maximum permissible speed of the tires is affixed within the driver's field of vision and you do not exceed this speed.

What does the ZR in the tire size mean?

An older designation for high-speed tires over 240 km/h, which is in the middle of the size specification. For modern tires, the index letter at the end of the service description counts.

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