Mobile tyres UK: the complete 2026 guide to tyre fitting at your door

"Mobile tyres" simply means having new tyres delivered and fitted wherever your vehicle is — your driveway, a work car park, a supermarket bay or the hard shoulder — instead of driving to a garage. In the UK it has moved from a niche service to a mainstream one, and this guide covers everything a driver needs before booking.

What mobile tyre fitting actually involves

A mobile tyre fitter arrives in a van carrying tyres, a trolley jack, a tyre machine and mobile wheel balancing equipment. A typical visit takes 20–40 minutes for a single tyre:

• The van is positioned to shield you from traffic where needed
• The wheel is jacked, removed and the old tyre broken from the rim
• The new tyre is fitted, inflated to the manufacturer's pressure and balanced
• Wheel nuts are torqued to spec and the old tyre is taken away for disposal

Everything a garage does for a straight replacement can be done at the roadside — with the exception of four-wheel alignment, which still needs a ramp.

How much do mobile tyres cost in the UK?

Mobile tyre prices are driven by four things: tyre size, brand tier, time of day and location. A 15" budget tyre on a driveway in daylight sits at the cheap end; a 20" premium run-flat on a motorway at 2am sits at the other. Rather than guess, Hard Shoulder shows a fixed all-in quote — tyre, fitting, valve, balancing and disposal — before you confirm. See the full breakdown on our mobile tyre fitting cost page.

A mobile puncture repair is substantially cheaper than a replacement because you are paying for labour and a plug-patch rather than a new tyre — worth asking for whenever the damage is in the repairable central tread area.

How quickly can a mobile tyre fitter reach you?

In UK cities, 30–60 minutes is typical during the day. Rural areas and overnight call-outs take longer simply because fewer vans are on shift. If you need a fitter tonight, our 24 hour mobile tyre fitting and same day fitting pages explain how out-of-hours dispatch works.

Which vehicles and tyre sizes are covered?

Cars, vans, motorbikes, minibuses and light commercials are all routinely handled. Run-flats, low-profile tyres and locking wheel nuts are fine too — see locking wheel nut removal if you've lost your key. Very large HGV sizes and exotic fitments may need a specialist van, which the app filters for automatically when you enter your registration.

Mobile tyres vs a garage: which should you choose?

Choose mobile when the car can't safely be driven, when your time is worth more than the modest convenience premium, or when you want a price fixed before anyone turns up. Choose a garage when you need alignment, complex wheel refurbishment, or you're already booked in for other work. Our full comparison is in mobile tyre fitting vs going to a garage.

How to buy mobile tyres without overpaying

• Know your tyre size — it's on the sidewall, e.g. 205/55R16 91V
• Compare budget, mid-range and premium in the same quote rather than accepting one option
• Ask whether balancing, valves and disposal are included (with Hard Shoulder they are)
• Replace in pairs across an axle where possible for even handling
• Don't pay motorway emergency rates for a job that can wait until morning on a driveway

Legal minimums UK drivers should know

The legal minimum tread depth in the UK is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre, around its entire circumference. Below that you risk a fine of up to £2,500 and three penalty points per tyre. Most fitters recommend replacing at 3mm, where wet braking performance falls off sharply.

Book mobile tyres anywhere in the UK

Hard Shoulder matches you to the nearest verified mobile tyre fitter, shows the price before you commit, and lets you track the van in real time. If the tyre can't be fitted safely where you are, we escalate to car recovery instead.