How to Ship Tyres and Wheels by Courier

Every spring and autumn, thousands of sets of tyres and alloys change hands through classifieds and online marketplaces. Most of the adverts end with “collection only”, because the seller has no idea how to ship tyres or complete wheels. Yet to a courier, one tyre is a perfectly ordinary parcel. It only gets complicated with complete wheels.

Do tyres fit within carrier limits

One tyre fits the limits of ordinary parcel carriers; a set of four complete wheels does not. What decides is the girth of the parcel and, for wheels with rims, the weight.

Carrier limits as of 9 October 2026: DPD takes parcels up to 31.5 kg, GLS up to 31.5 kg internationally (40 kg on some domestic services), and both cap girth at 300 cm. The tyre dimensions and weights are indicative for a common passenger-car size. For SUVs and vans expect bigger numbers, and measure them.

So a set of four tyres without rims goes as two parcels of two. Four complete wheels go either as four separate parcels or on one pallet. Do not even try pickup points, where the limit ends at 20 kg and 100 cm.

How to pack tyres without rims

Tyres without rims are packed in a box, or strapped together in pairs and wrapped in film. Rubber survives transport on its own; the point is that the parcel keeps its shape and has somewhere for the label to go.

• Clean the tyres and let them dry. A label will not stick to wet, muddy rubber, and the courier will not thank you either.
• Lay two identical tyres on top of each other and bind them with tape or cable ties in several places.
• Wrap them in stretch film, or put them in a box. A box is safer, because not every courier accepts a shipment in film alone.
• Stick the label on a flat surface, ideally a piece of cardboard taped to the sidewall.

Check in the carrier’s terms before booking whether it takes tyres without a box. Some have a special service for them, or a surcharge for irregular shapes.

How to pack complete wheels

With a complete wheel it is mainly the rim that needs protecting, because a scuffed or chipped edge is the most common damage. Eurosender recommends this procedure:

1. Clean and dry the wheel.
2. Put foam on both sides of the rim, a few centimetres bigger than the rim itself, fold it over the edge and tape it down.
3. Add cardboard over the foam in the same way and wrap everything in film.
4. Put the wheel in a box lined with polystyrene and fill the empty space.
5. Tape and reinforce the seams and edges with several layers of tape.

For road transport, Eurosender recommends leaving the tyre on the rim inflated to roughly 10 psi, well below running pressure. That way the tyre protects the rim without being under full pressure. For air transport it must be deflated or have the valve open. Within Europe shipments go by road; a plane comes into play with express services and beyond the continent.

Bare rims without tyres are packed the same way, only each one separately in bubble wrap and in its own box. Two rims face to face with nothing in between: that is a sure way to scratch both.

A set of four wheels: four parcels or a pallet

A set of four complete wheels goes either as four separate parcels or on one pallet, which is what Eurosender recommends for sets. Four parcels work out cheaper on a short route; a pallet is safer for expensive alloys.

• Four parcels: each wheel in a box, each with its own label. They travel separately and may arrive on different days.
• Pallet: four packed wheels stacked, strapped down and wrapped in film. They travel together and nobody throws them about. According to Eurosender, pallet prices between European countries start at €206.89 including VAT; the process is in the guide on how to ship a pallet.
• Van: for several sets, or wheels together with other parts. No packing.

How much it costs to ship tyres

The price of shipping tyres follows volumetric weight, which for tyres is higher than the actual weight. It is calculated as length × width × height divided by 5,000.

• One tyre, 63 × 63 × 21 cm: volumetric weight 16.7 kg against an actual weight of around 9 kg
• Two tyres, 63 × 63 × 42 cm: volumetric weight 33.3 kg

So you pay nearly double what the scales would suggest. A bit unfair, but that is how carriers count. With two tyres in one parcel, the volumetric weight also climbs above 31.5 kg, and where the carrier applies it, two separate parcels come out better. There is no fixed tariff. Enter the dimensions into a calculator and compare both options; you can work out your own numbers in the volumetric weight calculator.

With cheap used tyres, shipping can end up costing about as much as the goods. Collection in person makes more sense there, or new tyres from an online shop with delivery included. For alloys, and for a winter set that fits a specific car, shipping nearly always pays.

Buying a set from a marketplace or from Germany

When you buy a set through classifieds, you book the transport yourself and the seller only packs the wheels and hands them to the courier. It works within your own country and from abroad, typically from Germany, where the choice of used alloys is larger.

Send the seller exact packing instructions and ask for photos of the rims before they are packed, so it is clear what state they left in. Between EU countries, Germany included, there is no customs duty and no import VAT to pay. How to arrange a collection from a distance is described in the guide to arranging parcel collection abroad. And insure it. Basic cover is included, but it will mostly not match the value of a set of alloys. Keep the proof of price, because compensation is set by it. More in the guide to parcel insurance and compensation.

Heavier parts such as an engine or a gearbox are a different category. That one is covered in the guide to parcels over 30 kg.