Slick tyres on public roads – immediate confiscation

Why are slick tyres considered a traffic hazard?

Slick tyres are designed exclusively for racing circuits. They are completely smooth, with no grooves or tread blocks to channel water away. While this gives them maximum grip on dry racetracks, it makes them dangerous on public or wet roads:

• There is no way to disperse water → the risk of aquaplaning rises sharply, even at moderate speeds.

• On public roads, where you have water, dirt, gravel, leaves and ruts, slicks offer almost no safety margin.

Under German law, tyres used on public roads must:

• have continuous tread grooves along the circumference,

• provide a minimum tread depth of 1.6 mm.

A tyre without any tread is therefore non-compliant, which means the vehicle’s Betriebserlaubnis (type approval / roadworthiness authorisation) is effectively void, and the vehicle is illegal to use on public roads.

What can the police seize or order?

If your car is found running slick tyres on a public road, the police may:

• remove the vehicle from traffic immediately, and

• order it to be towed to an inspection body, such as TÜV or DEKRA,
  to check overall road safety and to ensure the tyres are replaced.

They may also:

• immobilise the car on the spot and record it as “unroadworthy”,

• in cases of repeat offences or refusal to change the tyres,

  • impose stricter measures,

  • and consider criminal proceedings if there is a clear intentional endangerment of others.

What penalties can you face?

• Fines in the range of €60–€100 for using illegal tyres.

• One penalty point in the Flensburg register if the condition of the tyres is deemed a threat to road safety.

• An obligation to pay for:

  • the technical inspection at TÜV or DEKRA, and

  • replacement with legally approved tyres.

If persistent and intentional misuse is proven, the offence may be treated as endangerment of other road users (Gefährdung) and punished more severely.

How to avoid the problem

• Always use road-approved tyres with visible grooves and a tread depth of at least 1.6 mm.

• Fit slicks only for track use, and only on cars that are transported to the circuit (e.g. on a trailer) and have their tyres changed back before entering public roads.

• Keep the installation documents / ITC/ABE certificates for your wheels and tyres with the vehicle.

• Regularly check the condition of your tyres, especially after modifications, workshop visits or surprise checks.

Conclusion

Driving a vehicle equipped with slick tyres on public roads is not just a minor technical irregularity – it is a serious safety risk that conflicts directly with the vehicle’s legal type approval (Betriebserlaubnis).
In Germany, the police are authorised to:

• impound the vehicle on the spot,

• impose fines,

• and add penalty points if non-approved tyres are used.

The simple and safe solution is to stick to fully legal, road-approved tyres at all times – to protect your own safety and that of everyone else on the road.

ـ The editorial team of this website aims to provide accurate information through careful research and by consulting multiple sources. However, errors may occur or some details may be incomplete or not definitively confirmed. The information in this article should therefore be seen as an initial reference only. For binding, case-specific advice, please contact the competent authorities or qualified professionals.