Semi Tire Repair or Replace? What the Federal Rules Say

Last updated November 3, 2026.

This guide is for drivers and dispatchers around the Port of Savannah who have a damaged or worn tire on a truck, tractor, or trailer. It explains what the federal tire rule says in plain words, then lists the operators in this directory that offer tire service. It is general information, not legal advice, and rules can change, so read the current text of any rule you rely on.

The short answer

The federal rule, 49 CFR 393.75, lists conditions where a tire may not be run at all, and it sets a minimum tread depth: 4/32 of an inch on the front tires of a truck or tractor, and 2/32 of an inch on the others. It does not describe how to repair a tire. Whether a damaged tire can be repaired or has to be replaced is a call for the tire operator, so ask.

When a tire may not be run

A commercial vehicle may not be operated on a tire that has any of these conditions:

• Body ply or belt material showing through the tread or the sidewall.
• Any separation of the tread or the sidewall.
• A flat tire, or one with an audible leak.
• A cut deep enough that the ply or belt material shows.

Minimum tread depth

The depth is measured in a major tread groove, and not at tie bars, humps, or fillets in the groove.

• Front tires on a bus, truck, or truck tractor: at least 4/32 of an inch.
• All other tires: at least 2/32 of an inch.

Limits on front wheels

The rule bars regrooved, recapped, and retreaded tires from the front wheels of a bus. On a truck or truck tractor, it bars regrooved tires with a load rating of 4,920 pounds or more from the front wheels. Check the tire markings and ask the operator if you are not sure what is on your front axle.

Load, speed, and air pressure

• A tire may not carry more weight than the load marked on its sidewall.
• A tire marked for 55 miles per hour or less may not be run faster than its marked limit.
• The cold inflation pressure may not be below what the load requires. A tire that has just been running reads higher, and the rule includes a table for adjusting that reading.

Repair or replace?

If a tire has any condition in the first list above, it cannot be run as it is. The rule stops there. It does not say how a puncture or other damage is repaired, or which damage can be repaired, so the operator makes that decision. Ask whether your tire can be repaired or has to be replaced, and ask how each option is charged.

What to tell the operator

• Where the truck is, and whether it is safely off the road.
• The tire size printed on the sidewall, if you can read it.
• Which tire it is: front, drive, or trailer, and which side.
• What happened: a puncture, a blowout, a cut, or a leak.
• Your callback number.

If the truck is stopped on a road or shoulder, read what to do first when a truck breaks down near the port.

Tire operators near the port

11 operators in this directory list tire service. 7 are mobile and come to the truck, and 6 of the 11 list round the clock hours. Hours are as each operator lists them, so call to confirm before you rely on them.

Questions to ask when you call

• Do you have my tire size, or how long would it take to get it?
• Can this tire be repaired, or does it need to be replaced, and how is each charged?
• Can you come to me, or do I need to bring the truck to you?
• Will you quote the price before the work starts?

Related: tire service operators, 24 hour emergency and roadside assistance, all operators compared side by side, and DOT annual inspection near the port.

Source: 49 CFR 393.75, Tires (Cornell Legal Information Institute). Rule text last checked 2026-11-03. This directory lists operators and does not repair or sell tires.