Tire Load Index Chart & Rating Guide
Everything you need to know about tire weight capacity, from reading the code to calculating safety margins.
Lead Automotive Technician
What is Tire Load Index?
The tire load index is a numerical code that indicates the maximum weight a single tire can support when properly inflated. You'll find this number on your tire's sidewall, typically immediately following the tire size and just before the speed rating letter.
Example: 225/65R17 102H
In this common tire size, 102 is the load index. Looking at the chart below, a load index of 102 means the tire can carry 1,874 lbs (850 kg).
Complete Tire Load Index Chart
| Index | Lbs | Kg | Index | Lbs | Kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70 | 739 | 335 | 96 | 1565 | 710 |
| 71 | 761 | 345 | 97 | 1609 | 730 |
| 72 | 783 | 355 | 98 | 1653 | 750 |
| 73 | 805 | 365 | 99 | 1709 | 775 |
| 74 | 827 | 375 | 100 | 1764 | 800 |
| 75 | 853 | 387 | 101 | 1819 | 825 |
| 76 | 882 | 400 | 102 | 1874 | 850 |
| 77 | 908 | 412 | 103 | 1929 | 875 |
| 78 | 937 | 425 | 104 | 1984 | 900 |
| 79 | 963 | 437 | 105 | 2039 | 925 |
| 80 | 992 | 450 | 106 | 2094 | 950 |
| 81 | 1019 | 462 | 107 | 2149 | 975 |
| 82 | 1047 | 475 | 108 | 2205 | 1000 |
| 83 | 1074 | 487 | 109 | 2271 | 1030 |
| 84 | 1102 | 500 | 110 | 2337 | 1060 |
| 85 | 1135 | 515 | 111 | 2403 | 1090 |
| 86 | 1168 | 530 | 112 | 2469 | 1120 |
| 87 | 1201 | 545 | 113 | 2535 | 1150 |
| 88 | 1235 | 560 | 114 | 2601 | 1180 |
| 89 | 1279 | 580 | 115 | 2679 | 1215 |
| 90 | 1323 | 600 | 116 | 2756 | 1250 |
| 91 | 1356 | 615 | 117 | 2833 | 1285 |
| 92 | 1389 | 630 | 118 | 2910 | 1320 |
| 93 | 1433 | 650 | 119 | 2998 | 1360 |
| 94 | 1477 | 670 | 120 | 3086 | 1400 |
| 95 | 1521 | 690 | 121 | 3197 | 1450 |
Why Load Index Matters for Safety
⚠️ The Dangers of Overloading
Exceeding your tire's load capacity is one of the most dangerous things you can do. Overloading causes excessive heat buildup in the tire sidewall, which can lead to:
- Sudden tire blowouts
- Separation of the tread
- Premature tire wear
- Poor handling and braking
✅ How to Stay Safe
When replacing tires, you must ALWAYS match or exceed the load index of the original equipment (OEM) tires.
Rule of Thumb:
If your car came with 91 load index tires, you can safely install 91, 95, or 98. But you should NEVER install 89.
Standard Load (SL) vs. Extra Load (XL)
You may see "XL" or "Extra Load" on some tires. This designation is becoming increasingly common, especially with modern electric vehicles and SUVs.
Standard Load (SL)
Standard P-metric tires
- • Designed for standard inflation pressures (usually 35 psi)
- • Adequate for most sedans and light use
- • Standard load capacity for the size
Extra Load (XL)
Reinforced sidewalls
- • Can hold higher inflation pressure (up to 41-50 psi)
- • Carries more weight ONLY when inflated to higher pressures
- • Required for many EVs and luxury SUVs
Not Sure About Your Load Requirements?
Use our Load Safety Validator to verify that your new tires meet the safety requirements for your specific vehicle.
Check Load Safety →