How to read your tire door placard

On this page: Where to find it · Line by line · Spare line · Placard vs certification label · Missing placard · Changing sizes

Where to find it

On most passenger vehicles sold in the US, the tire information placard is on the driver’s door jamb (B-pillar area). Some vehicles also list tire data in the owner’s manual, the glove box door, or the fuel filler door. If labels conflict, follow the vehicle manufacturer’s guidance and ask a qualified technician.

Reading the placard line by line

US passenger vehicle labels are usually titled Tire and Loading Information. Layouts vary by maker, but most show the same items:

• Seating capacity. The total number of seats, often split into front and rear.
• Combined weight of occupants and cargo. A sentence such as “should never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs.” This is the most people plus luggage the vehicle is rated to carry. It is a useful reminder that load index matters on replacement tires.
• Original tire size. Front, rear, and sometimes spare, for example 225/65R17. Front and rear can differ on staggered setups. See how to choose tire size to decode the numbers.
• Cold tire pressure. Recommended inflation for front, rear, and spare, usually shown in both kPa and PSI. “Cold” means checked before driving or after the car has sat for a few hours. The cold tire pressure guide covers how and when to check.

Some trims or load conditions have extra pressure notes in the owner’s manual (for example, a higher setting for full loads or towing). When the manual adds detail, it applies alongside the placard.

The spare tire line

If your vehicle shipped with a spare, the placard often gives it its own size and cold pressure. A compact temporary spare (sizes often start with a T, such as T125/70D17) commonly calls for a much higher PSI than the road tires. That is normal for its construction and not a typo.

• Inflate the spare to its own placard line or the pressure printed on the spare, not to the front or rear number.
• If there is no spare line, the car may have shipped with an inflator kit. Check the owner’s manual before assuming a pressure.
• Temporary spares usually carry speed and distance limits. Follow the label on the spare and the owner’s manual.
• Expect the tire pressure warning light to behave differently while a spare is mounted. See spare tires and TPMS caveats.

For a short checklist on keeping the spare ready, see spare PSI vs road (placard) PSI.

Placard vs the certification label

Many door jambs carry two stickers. The tire placard covers seating, the occupant and cargo limit, tire sizes, and cold pressures. The separate certification label usually lists the VIN, build month, and weight ratings such as gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) and gross axle weight ratings. Both matter when choosing tires, but only the tire placard gives inflation pressures.

Why pressure on the placard is not the sidewall max

The large PSI number molded on a tire sidewall is a maximum cold pressure for the tire’s construction, not the recommended operating pressure for your vehicle. Use the placard (or OEM manual) values unless a manufacturer service bulletin says otherwise.

If the placard is missing or unreadable

1. Check the tire section of the owner’s manual, including any online version from the vehicle maker.
2. Ask a dealer service department to look up original tire size and pressures from the VIN.
3. Do not treat the tires currently mounted as proof of the original size. A previous owner may have changed them.

Before you change sizes

Plus sizing or alternate sizes can affect speedometer accuracy, load capacity, clearance, and driver assistance calibration. Confirm compatibility with OEM documentation and a licensed installer. Do not rely solely on an online size picker.

Also verify load index and speed rating meet or exceed OEM requirements for your trim and options package. Copy everything into the placard checklist before you shop.