Transport Canada Transports Canada  
Safety and Security Sécurité et sûreté 
 
Road Safety  Sécurité routière 
  
Standards and Regulations Division  
 
 
 
TECHNICAL STANDARDS DOCUMENT 
No. 120, Revision 1 
  
Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles  
With a GVWR of More Than 4,536 kg 
 
 
The text of this document is based on Federal Motor Vehicle 
Safety Standard No. 120, Tire Selection and Rims for Motor 
Vehicles With a GVWR of More Than 4,536 Kilograms 
(10,000 Pounds) , as published in the U.S. Code of Federal 
Regulations , Title 49, Part 571, revised as of October 1, 2007.  
 
 
Publication Date:  November 20, 2013 
Effective Date:  November 20, 2013 Mandatory Compliance Date:  May 20, 2014 
 
 
    
Standards Research and Development Branch 
Road Safety and Motor Vehicle Regulation Directorate 
TRANSPORT CANADA 
Ottawa, Ontario 
K1A 0N5   Technical Standards Document 
Number 120, Revision 1 
Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles With  
a GVWR of More Than 4,536 kg 
(Ce document est aussi disponible en français.) 
Introduction 
As defined by section 12 of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act , a Technical Standards Document 
(TSD) is a document that reproduces an enactment of a foreign government (e.g. a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard issued by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration).  According to the Act, the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations  may alter or 
override some provisions contained in a TSD or specify additional requirements; 
consequently, it is advisable to read a TSD in conjunction with the Act and its counterpart Regulation.  As a guide, where the corresponding Regulation contains additional requirements, footnotes indicate the amending subsection number.  TSDs are revised from time to time in order to incorporate amendments made to the reference document, at which time a Notice of Revision is published in the Canada Gazette , 
Part I.  All TSDs are assigned a revision number, with “Revision 0” designating the original version. 
 
Identification of Changes 
In order to facilitate the incorporation of a TSD, certain non-technical changes may be made 
to the foreign enactment.  These may include the deletion of words, phrases, figures, or sections that do not apply under the Act or Regulations, the conversion of imperial to metric units, the deletion of superseded dates, and minor changes of an editorial nature.  Additions are underlined
, and provisions that do not apply are stroked through .  Where an entire section 
has been deleted, it is replaced by: “[CONTENT DELETED]”.  Changes are also made where there is a reporting requirement or reference in the foreign enactment that does not apply in Canada.  For example, the name and address of the U.S. Department of Transportation are replaced by those of the Department of Transport.  
Effective Date and Mandatory Compliance Date 
The effective date of a TSD is the date of publi cation of its incorporating regulation or of the 
notice of revision in the Canada Gazette , and the date as of which voluntary compliance is 
permitted.  The mandatory compliance date is the date upon which compliance with the requirements of the TSD is obligatory.  If the effective date and mandatory compliance date are different, manufacturers may follow the requirements that were in force before the effective date, or those of this TSD, until the mandatory compliance date.  In the case of an initial TSD, or when a TSD is revised and incorporated by reference by an amendment to the Regulations, the mandatory compliance date is as specified in the Regulations, and it may be the same as the effective date.  When a TSD is revised with no Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles  
With a GVWR of More Than 4,536 kg  TSD No. 120, Revision 1  
Effective: November 20, 2013  ii corresponding changes to the incorporating Regulations, the mandatory compliance date is 
six months after the effective date. 
Official Version of Technical Standards Documents 
The PDF version is a replica of the TSD as published by the Department and is to be used for 
the purposes of legal interpretation and application.   
 
 
(Original signed by) 
  
Director, Standards Research and Development 
 for the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure  
and Communities 
Ottawa, Ontario 
 Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles  
With a GVWR of More Than 4,536 kg  TSD No. 120, Revision 1  
Effective: November 20, 2013  iii TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
Technical Standards Document 
Number 120, Revision 1 
 
TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES  
WITH A GVWR OF MORE THAN 4,536 KG 
 
 
Introduction _______________________________________________________________ i  
S1.  Scope _________________________________________________________________1  
S2.  Purpose _______________________________________________________________1  
S3.  Application ____________________________________________________________1  
S4.  Definitions _____________________________________________________________1  
S5.  Requirements __________________________________________________________2  
S5.1  Tire and Ri m Selection _______________________________________________________ 2  
S5.2  Rim Marking _______________________________________________________________ 3  
S5.3  Label In formation ___________________________________________________________ 4  
S6.  Load Limits for Non-Pneumatic Spare Tires _________________________________5  
S7.  Labeling Requirements for Non-Pneumatic Spare Tires or Tire Assemblies ________5  
S8.  Requirements for Vehicles Equipped with Non-Pneumatic Spare Tire Assemblies ___5  
S9. Non-Pneumatic Rims and Wheel Center Members _____________________________5  
   Technical Standards Document 
Number 120, Revision 1 
TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES  
WITH A GVWR OF MORE THAN 4,536 KG 
The text of this document is based on Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 
No. 120, Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles With a GVWR of More 
Than 4,536 Kilograms (10,000 Pounds) , as published in the U.S. Code of 
Federal Regulations , Title 49, Part 571, revised as of October 1, 2007.  
S1.  Scope 
This Technical Standards Document (TSD)  standard  specifies tire and rim selection 
requirements and rim marking requirements. 
S2.  Purpose 
The purpose of this TSD  standard  is to provide safe operational performance by ensuring that 
the vehicles to which it applies are equipped with tires of adequate size and load rating1 and 
with rims of appropriate size and type designation.  
S3.  Application 
[CONTENT DELETED] For applicability, see Schedule III and subsection 120(1) of 
Schedule IV to the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations . 
S4.  Definitions 
All terms defined in the Act and the rules and standards issued under its authority are used as 
defined therein.  
Rim base  means the portion of a rim remaining after removal of all split or continuous rim 
flanges, side rings, and locking rings that can be detached from the rim. (Base de jante)  
2 Rim diameter  means nomin al diameter of the bead seat . (Diamètre de jante)  
Rim size designation  means rim diameter and width. (Désignation des dimensions de jante)  
Rim type designation  means the industry or manufacturer’s designation for a rim by style or 
code. (Désignation du type de jante)  
Rim width  means nominal distance between rim flanges. (Largeur de jante)  
                                                 
1 Please see subsection 120(5) of the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations  (MVSR) for the applicable definition.  
2 Please see subsection 2(1) of the MVSR for the applicable definition.  Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles  
With a GVWR of More Than 4,536 kg  TSD No. 120, Revision 1  
Effective: November 20, 2013  2 Weather side  means the surface area of the rim not covered by the inflated tire. (Surface 
exposée aux intempéries)  
S5.  Requirements 
S5.1  Tire and Rim Selection S5.1.1  Except as specified in S5.1.3, each vehicle equipped with pneumatic tires for 
highway service shall be equipped with tires that meet the requirements of subsections 3(1)
 
or 4(1) and section 6 of the Motor Vehicle Tire Safety Regulations (MVTSR) or, until 
September 1, 2014, the requirements of subsections 5( 2) or 6(2) and sections 8 and 9 or 10 of 
the Motor Vehicle Tire Safety Regulations, 1995 (MVTSR, 1995)  section  571.109, 
section  571.119, or section  571.139 , and rims that are listed by the manufacturer of the tires 
as suitable for use with those tires, in accordan ce with section 8 of the MVTSR or, until Sept 
1, 2014, in accordance with section 7 of the MVTSR, 1995  S4.4 of section  571.109 or S5.1 
of section  571.119, as applicable, except that vehicles may be  equipped with a non -
pneumatic spare tire assembly that meets the requirements of section  571.129, New non -
pneumatic tires for passenger cars , and S8 of this standard.  Vehicles equipped with such an 
assembly shall meet the requirements of S5.3.3, S7, and S9 of this standard . 
S5.1.2   Except in the case of a vehicle which has a speed attainable in 3.2 kilometers of 
80 kilometers per hour or less, the sum of the maximum load ratings3 of the tires fitted to an 
axle shall be not less than the gross axle weight rating (GAWR) of the axle system as specified on the vehicle’s compliance
 certification  label required by section 6 of the Motor 
Vehicle Safety Regulations  (MVSR)  49 CFR part  567. Except in the case of a vehicle which 
has a speed attainable in 2 miles of 50 mph or less, the sum of the maximum load ratings of the tires fitted to an axle shall be not less than the GAWR of the axle system as specified on the vehicle’s compliance
 certification  label required by section 6 of the MVSR  49 CFR 
part 567. If the compliance  certification  label shows more than one GAWR for the axle 
system, the sum shall be not less than the GAWR corresponding to the size designation of the tires fitted to the axle. If the size designation of the tires fitted to the axle does not appear on the compliance
 certification  label, the sum shall be not less than the lowest GAWR appearing 
on the label. When a passenger car tire is installed on a multi-purpose passenger vehicle, truck, bus, or trailer, the tire’s load rating shall be reduced by dividing by 1.10 before calculating the sum (i.e., the sum of the load ratings of the tires on each axle, when the tires’ load carrying capacity at the recommended tire cold inflation pressure is reduced by dividing by 1.10, must be appropriate for the GAWR). 
S5.1.3   In place of tires that meet the requirements of TSD 119 or, until September 1, 2014, 
the requirements of section 10 and Schedule V to the MVTSR, 1995  Standard No.  119, a 
truck, bus, or trailer may, at the request of a purchaser, be equipped at the place of manufacture of the vehicle with retreaded or us ed tires owned or leased by the purchaser, if 
the sum of the maximum load ratings meets the requirements of S5.1.2. Used tires employed under this provision must have been originally manufactured to comply with TSD 119 or,
 
                                                 
3 Please see subsection 120(5) of the MVSR for the applicable definition.  Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles  
With a GVWR of More Than 4,536 kg  TSD No. 120, Revision 1  
Effective: November 20, 2013  3 until September 1, 2014, section 10 and Schedule V to the MVTSR, 1995  Standard No.  119, 
as evidenced by the DOT  symbo l.4 
S5.2  Rim Marking 
Each rim or, at the option of the manufacturer in the case of a single-piece wheel, wheel disc 
shall be marked with the information listed in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this paragraph, in lettering not less than 3 millimeters high, impressed to a depth or, at the option of the manufacturer, embossed to a height of not less than 0.125 millimeters. The information listed in paragraphs (a) through (c) of this paragraph shall appear on the weather side. In the case of rims of multi-piece construction, the information listed in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this paragraph shall appear on the rim base and the information listed in paragraphs (b) and (d) of this paragraph shall also appear on each other part of the rim. 
(a) A designation which indicates the source of the rim’s published nominal dimensions, 
as follows: 
(1) “T” indicates The Tire and Rim Association. 
(2) “E” indicates The European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation. (3) “J” indicates Japan Automobile Tire Manufacturers’ Association, Inc. (4) “D” indicates Deutsche Industrie Norm. (5) “B” indicates British Standards Institution. (6) “S” indicates Scandinavian Tire and Rim Organization. (7) “A” indicates The Tyre and Rim Association of Australia. (8) “N” indicates an independent listing pursuant to subsection 8(1) of the MVTSR or, 
until September 1, 2014, subsection 7(1) of the MVTSR, 1995  S4.4.1(a) of 
Standard No.  109 or S5.1(a) of Standard No.  119. 
(b) The rim size designation, and in the case of multi-piece rims, the rim type designation. 
For example: 20 x 5.50 or 20 x 5.5. 
(c) The symbol DOT, constituting a certification by the manufactu rer of the rim that the 
rim complies with all applicable motor vehicle safety standards.  
(d) A designation that identifies the manufacturer of the rim by name, trademark, or 
symbol. 
(e) The month, day, and year or the month and year of manufacture, expressed either 
numerically or by use of a symbol, at the option of the manufacturer. For example: 
                                                 
4 Please see subsection 120(2) of th e MVSR for additional requirements.  Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles  
With a GVWR of More Than 4,536 kg  TSD No. 120, Revision 1  
Effective: November 20, 2013  4 “September 4, 1976” may be expressed numerically as:  90476,         , or            
“September 1976” may be expressed as:   976,          or         (1) Any manufacturer that elects to expre ss the date of manufacture by means of a 
symbol shall notify Transport Canada
 NHTSA  in writing of the full names and 
addresses of all manufacturers and brand name owners utilizing that symbol and the name and address of the trademark owner of that symbol, if any. The notification shall describe in narrative form and in detail how the month, day, and year or the month and year are depicted by the symbol. Such description shall include an actual size graphic depiction of  the symbol, showing and/or explaining 
the interrelationship of the component parts of the symbol as they will appear on the rim or single-piece wheel disc, includi ng dimensional specifications, and where 
the symbol will be located on the rim or single-piece wheel disc. The notification shall be received by Transport Canada
 NHTSA  at least 60 calendar days prior to 
first use of the symbol. The notification shall be sent  mailed  to the Minister of 
Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, 275 Slater Street, Ottawa, Ontario, 
Canada, K1A 0N5  Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance, National Highway Traffic 
Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590. All 
information provided to NHTSA under this paragraph will be placed in the public 
docket . 
(2) Each manufacturer of wheels shall provide an explanation of its date of 
manufacture symbol to any person upon request. 
S5.3  Label Information 
Each vehicle shall show the information specified in S5.3.1 and S5.3.2 and, in the case of a 
vehicle equipped with a non-pneumatic spare tire, the information specified in  S5.3.3,  in the 
English and French  languages ,5 lettered in block capitals and numerals not less than 
2.4 millimeters high and in the format set forth following this paragraph. This information shall appear either: 
(a) After each GAWR listed on the compliance
 certification  label required by section 6 of 
the MVSR  section  567.4 or section  567.5 of this chapter ; or at the option of the 
manufacturer,  
(b) At the option of the manufacturer,  on the tire information label affixed to the vehicle 
in the manner, location, and form described in sections 6 and 7 of the MVSR,  
section  567.4(b) through (f) of this chapter  as appropriate for each GVWR-GAWR 
combination listed on the compliance  certification  label. 
S5.3.1  Tires .  The size designation (not necessarily for the tires on the vehicle) and the 
recommended cold inflation pressure for those tires, such that the sum of the load ratings of 
                                                 
5 Please see subsections 120(3) of the MVSR for an additional requirement.  904
7676 
904
 9 ,
7676 
9Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles  
With a GVWR of More Than 4,536 kg  TSD No. 120, Revision 1  
Effective: November 20, 2013  5 the tires on each axle (when the tires’ load carrying capacity at the specified pressure is 
reduced by dividing by 1.10, in the case of a tire subject to TSD 109 or, until September 1, 
2014, Schedule IV to the MVTSR, 1995  FMVSS No.  109), is appropriate for the GAWR as 
calculated in accordance with S5.1.2.6 
S5.3.2  Rims .  The size designation and, if applicable, the type designation of rims (not 
necessarily those on the vehicle) appropriate for those tires. 
Truck Example—Suitable Tire-Rim Choice 
GVWR: 7,840 KG (17,289 LB) 
GAWR: FRONT—2,850 KG (6,280 LB) WITH 7.50-20(D) TIRES, 20 x 6.00 RIMS, 
AT 520 KPA (75 PSI) COLD SINGLE 
GAWR: REAR—4,990 KG (11,000 LB) WITH 7.50-20(D) TIRES, 20 x 6.00 RIMS, 
AT 450 KPA (65 PSI) COLD DUAL 
GVWR: 13,280 KG (29,279 LB) GAWR: FRONT—4,826 KG (10,640 LB) WITH 10.00-20(F) TIRES, 20 x 7.50 RIMS, 
AT 620 KPA (90 PSI) COLD SINGLE 
GAWR: REAR—8,454 KG (18,639 LB) WITH 10.00-20(F) TIRES, 20 x 7.50 RIMS, 
AT 550 KPA (80 PSI) COLD DUAL 
S5.3.3
  The non -pneumatic tire identification code, with which that assembly is labeled 
pursuant to S4.3(a) of section  571.129.  
S6.  Load Limits for Non-Pneumatic Spare Tires 
[CONTENT DELETED]  
S7.  Labeling Requirements for Non-Pneumatic Spare Tires or Tire Assemblies 
[CONTENT DELETED]  
S8.  Requirements for Vehicles Equipped with Non-Pneumatic Spare Tire Assemblies 
[CONTENT DELETED]  
S9. Non-Pneumatic Rims and Wheel Center Members 
[CONTENT DELETED]  
                                                 
6 Please see subsection 120(4) of the MVSR for an additional requirement.