Scrap tire storage at a tire shop needs an enclosure sized for the peak count between hauler pickups, about 10 loose or 12 to 15 stacked passenger tires per cubic yard. Confirm the state’s retailer tire limit, keep-dry and screening rules, fire code setbacks, and the hauler’s loading needs. Then choose the wall height, gate width, lock and any roof.
What does scrap tire storage at a tire shop have to do?
Scrap tire storage at a tire shop has to do five jobs: hold the tires that build up between pickups, keep them dry, keep them out of public view, keep people out after hours, and let the tire hauler load quickly. A screened, lockable enclosure handles the view, the access and the loading. Your state, city and fire marshal set the count limits, distances and paperwork.
This checklist is for a retail tire store or service center, not a tire yard. For the pile sizes, fire lanes and fence rules that apply to large yards, see our guide to outdoor tire storage requirements under IFC Chapter 34.
The planning checklist at a glance
Work through these eight items in order: the first three set the size, the rest the location, gate and options.
| # | Question to settle | Who confirms it | What it changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | How many tires are on site on the day before pickup? | Store operations, tire hauler | Floor area and stack height |
| 2 | What count can the shop hold without registering as a storage site? | State environmental agency | Maximum inventory and pickup frequency |
| 3 | Must the tires be kept dry or covered? | State agency, city code | Roof, covers or container inside the enclosure |
| 4 | Does the city require screening, and in what material and height? | Planning and zoning | Wall height, finish and color |
| 5 | How far must the stacks sit from lot lines and buildings? | Fire marshal | Where the enclosure goes on the site plan |
| 6 | How does the hauler load, and with what vehicle? | Tire hauler | Gate width, approach and hold-open hardware |
| 7 | Will tires share the enclosure with trash and recycling? | Owner, architect, waste hauler | Single, or a double with a shared wall |
| 8 | Who keeps the hauling records? | Store manager | Nothing on the drawing; records kept on file |
How many scrap tires will the enclosure hold?
Plan on roughly 10 loose passenger tires per cubic yard, and 12 to 15 when they are stacked or laced. Those densities come from the U.S. EPA scrap tire handbook (2010), which also notes that one medium truck tire takes up the space of four to five passenger tires.
That gives a quick sizing rule. Every 100 sq ft of floor stacked 6 ft high is about 22 cubic yards, or very roughly 220 loose passenger tires and 270 to 330 stacked ones. Treat these as planning estimates: tire sizes, stacking and the floor left open for a walkway and the gate swing change the real number.
Size for the day before pickup
Size for the peak count, on the day before the hauler arrives, plus a margin for a missed pickup and seasonal peaks. Ask store operations for the weekly take-off count and the hauler for the pickup interval it will commit to; a shorter interval means a smaller enclosure.
Keep stacks below the top of the wall
Stacks that rise above the screen defeat the screening. Alpine Citadel enclosures come in standard heights of 6, 7 and 8 ft, so set the stacking height first and choose the wall height to cover it.
How many scrap tires can a tire shop keep before it needs a permit?
It depends on the state. State scrap tire programs usually let a retailer hold a set number of tires without registering as a storage facility, and the number often changes with how the tires are stored. Two examples:
- One state's guidance for scrap tire generators (2023) lets a retail tire dealer keep up to 1,000 scrap tires outside without a facility license, and any number inside a secured building or secured enclosed container.
- Another state's generator rules (page updated 2026) allow a generator up to 500 used or scrap tires without a registration; a registered generator may hold up to 2,000 in enclosed and lockable trailers or other containers.
Cities can set lower limits than the state. One parish's tire ordinance caps each business at 500 used tires and 150 waste tires at any one time. Check both levels before fixing the enclosure size.
The fire code adds its own trigger. Under the 2024 International Fire Code (Section 105.5.50), an operational permit applies once scrap tire storage passes 2,500 cu ft in total. Using the densities above, that is very roughly 900 to 1,400 passenger tires. The fire code official decides how the volume is measured.
Do scrap tires have to be kept dry and screened?
In many places, yes to both. Tires hold rainwater and breed mosquitoes, so state and city rules often require that stored tires be kept dry or treated, and that tires stored outside be hidden from public view.
The two state sources above show how these rules read. One requires generators to perform mosquito control; the other requires vector monitoring and control at least once every two weeks for tires stored outside. At the city level, one city's tire ordinance (2009) requires that tires not be allowed to hold water, and that tires stored outside be screened from public view and stacked no higher than 10 ft or kept in a covered container. The parish ordinance cited above requires a covered or enclosed area that keeps water out. It also requires a fully enclosed fence 6 to 8 ft high, and lists metal panels among the accepted materials.
What this means for the design
- Opacity. The standard Alpine Citadel solid-slat face is 100% opaque and meets opaque-screening requirements.
- Keeping tires dry. Walls alone do not keep rain out; use a roof, fitted covers or a closed container inside the screen. Covered, steel-roofed enclosures are a custom Alpine option, engineered per project, and usually need a building permit.
- Material. Where a code names masonry, an alternate-materials submittal is the usual route. See how that works on our engineering page.
Where should the enclosure go on the site?
Place it where the fire code distances are met, where the hauler can reach it, and where the screening does the most good. Scrap tires are combustible storage even in small numbers. Under 2024 IFC §315.4, outside storage of combustible materials must sit at least 10 ft from a lot line. That drops to 3 ft where the storage is no more than 6 ft high, or where the fire code official finds no hazard to the adjoining property. Where the building is sprinklered, combustible storage is not allowed under its eaves, canopies or overhangs unless those are sprinklered too (§315.4.1). Some state and local rules add their own setback. The parish ordinance cited above keeps tires 10 ft from lot lines unless they are inside a building or a transportable container.
A steel enclosure is noncombustible, but it is not a fire barrier, has no fire-resistance rating and does not shorten these distances. Have the fire marshal confirm the setbacks on the site plan before the slab is poured.
What gate and hardware does a tire enclosure need?
A tire enclosure needs a gate wide enough for the way the hauler loads, a lock, and hardware that holds the leaves open. Before choosing the width, ask the hauler how it loads, how close its vehicle can park and whether it backs up to the opening.
- Width. Standard Alpine Citadel gates are 12 ft or 16 ft clear, double leaf, swinging out. A 6 ft single-leaf gate is a custom option for a small tire-only enclosure that is loaded on foot.
- Lock. A heavy-duty lockable latch box secures the gate after hours.
- Hold-open. Hold-open cane bolts keep the leaves from swinging into the hauler during loading.
- Protection. Bollards are available as an option where trucks back up to the posts.
Our guide to enclosure gate sizes and hardware covers leaf sizes, latches and why gates sag.
Can tires share an enclosure with trash and recycling?
Yes, and many tire and auto service sites build one combined enclosure. A common arrangement is a double with a shared wall: one bay for the dumpster and one for tires, each behind its own gate. The shared wall keeps the tire stacks out of the dumpster's way and lets staff lock the tire side on its own. Alpine builds shared-wall enclosures like this routinely.
Any size is laid out and engineered to the site or the architect's drawing. As a starting point, Alpine publishes two example configurations: a 12 × 16 ft single with one 12 ft clear gate, and a 24 × 12 ft double with two 12 ft clear gates on a shared center post. The waste hauler sets the dumpster side. Our enclosure dimensions guide covers those clearances.
How do multi-site tire brands standardize the tire enclosure?
Brands with many stores standardize the enclosure and let the tire count and options change by site, because state thresholds and city screening, roof and material rules differ. A workable prototype standard has three parts:
- A base enclosure. One layout, one gate type, one height and one color, drawn once and reused.
- A short list of site options. Roof or covers, wall height, a combined trash bay, bollards, and a building-matched finish.
- A one-page site checklist. The state's retailer threshold, the city's screening rule, the fire marshal's setbacks and the hauler's pickup interval, filled in for each new store.
Alpine Citadel suits that approach. It is structural steel throughout, ASTM A36 or equivalent, with no aluminum components, galvanized and powder coated in any RAL color. Each site is engineered to ASCE 7-22 for its own wind speed, exposure and risk category, with sealed calculations available in all 50 states. Kits ship one per enclosure with parts tagged by bay, and install in typically 1–2 days on a prepared slab. Our record: 70+ locations installed, including 60+ for a multi-state tire and automotive service brand. See national programs for how releases and kitting work.
What records should the shop keep?
Keep the hauling paperwork where the manager can produce it on request. States generally require a tire shop to use a registered scrap tire transporter and to keep the shipping papers or manifests. The state guidance cited above requires a registered transporter for loads of more than 10 scrap tires and requires shipping papers to be kept for at least three years. A posted hauler name and pickup schedule helps staff keep the count under the limit.
What is the next step?
Fill in the eight checklist items for your site, then send us the site plan, the peak tire count and any city or fire marshal conditions. We will lay out a tire storage enclosure to match, tires only or combined with trash, and engineer it for the site. Request a quote when you are ready.
Sources
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Scrap Tires: Handbook on Recycling Applications and Management for the U.S. and Mexico (EPA530-R-10-010), 2010.
- Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Guidance Document #645, Scrap Tire Generator, 2023.
- Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Requirements for Used or Scrap Tire Generators, page last modified 2026.
- City of San Antonio, Ordinance 2009-10-29-0861, Tire Storage, Transportation, and Disposal (City Code §16-922), 2009.
- City of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge, Tire Ordinance Requirements, accessed 2026.
- International Code Council, 2024 International Fire Code, Chapter 3: General Requirements (§315.4, outside storage), 2024.