Tire Load Index Explained: How Much Weight Can a Tire Carry?

The load index is the two- or three-digit number printed right after the tire size, for example the 91 in 205/55R16 91V. It maps to a specific maximum load in kilograms per tire at the tire's rated inflation. 91 = 615 kg, 100 = 800 kg, 108 = 1000 kg, and so on, defined by the ETRTO standards body.

Multiply by the number of tires on the vehicle to get total static capacity. Four 91-rated tires support 4 × 615 = 2460 kg between them — more than enough for almost any passenger car, but tight for a fully loaded SUV or van.

Never fit a tire with a load index below the figure on the vehicle placard. It is unsafe, often illegal, and many insurers treat under-rated tires as grounds to deny a claim after an accident. The placard load index is a minimum, not a target.

Going higher is generally fine when the size and speed rating still match. Reinforced and Extra Load (XL) tires carry more weight per inflation than standard load tires of the same size, which is why placard pressures for XL tires are usually a few PSI higher.

The load index is independent of speed rating, but they are always printed together (e.g. 91V means load 91, speed V = 240 km/h). Replacement tires must match or exceed both numbers compared to the vehicle specification — speed rating is a thermal limit, not just a top-speed bragging point.

If you tow, carry roof loads, or drive at sustained motorway speed, choose a tire with comfortable margin above placard load index, not the bare minimum. The published rating is a sustained-load specification, not a peak.