Studded tire laws vary by state and sort into three groups: about a dozen states ban metal studs on passenger vehicles year-round, roughly 30 allow them during a defined winter season, and a smaller group lets drivers run them any month of the year. Where you live and every state you plan to drive through both matter, because what’s legal in your driveway can become a traffic violation an hour down the highway.
States That Ban Studded Tires Year-Round
Several states prohibit metal-studded tires on passenger vehicles at any time of year. Minnesota bars any tire with studs, spikes, cleats, or similar metal protrusions on public roads, with narrow carve-outs for tire chains in icy conditions and farm equipment.1Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 169.72 – Tire Surface; Metal Studs Michigan prohibits any tire equipped with metal that contacts the road surface.2Michigan Legislature. MCL Section 257.710 Texas prohibits tire protrusions made of anything other than rubber unless the protrusion won’t damage the road or is a safety chain.3State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code TRANSP 547.612 – Restrictions on Use and Sale of Tires Hawaii, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, Alabama, Illinois, and Wisconsin round out the group.
The exceptions in these states are narrower than most drivers expect. Wisconsin allows tungsten carbide studs only on authorized emergency vehicles, school buses, rural mail carriers, and out-of-state vehicles passing through for no more than 30 days.4Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Code 347 – Tire Equipment Michigan’s list is tighter still: law enforcement, ambulances, and U.S. Postal Service rural carriers who own their delivery vehicles.2Michigan Legislature. MCL Section 257.710 If you don’t fit one of those categories, you cannot legally run studs in a ban state, regardless of weather.
States With Winter-Only Studded Tire Seasons
The largest group of states permits studded tires only within a defined winter window, typically starting in September, October, or November and ending in March, April, or May. Driving on studs outside those dates is a traffic violation. The windows for commonly traveled states:
- Oregon: November 1 through March 315Oregon Department of Transportation. Chains and Traction Tires
- Washington: November 1 through March 316Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). March 31 Deadline Approaching for Studded Tire Removal in Washington
- Arkansas: November 15 through April 157Justia. Arkansas Code 27-37-402 – Metal Studded Tires Lawful During Prescribed Period
- Nevada: October 1 through April 308Nevada Legislature. Nevada Revised Statutes 484D.510 – Use of Certain Cleated or Studded Tires Prohibited; Exceptions
- Virginia: October 15 through April 159Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-1044 – Cleats, Etc., on Tires; Chains; Tires With Studs
- Arizona: October 1 through May 1
The dates are firm. A few states give their transportation department authority to push the end date when late-season storms hit, but extensions depend on statewide forecasts rather than isolated mountain weather, and they are not routine.6Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). March 31 Deadline Approaching for Studded Tire Removal in Washington If your tires are still on the car April 1 in Oregon or Washington, you are out of compliance until you take them off.
Alaska’s Split-Latitude Rules
Alaska divides its studded tire season by latitude. North of the 60th parallel, studs are legal from September 16 through April 30. South of that line, the window shortens to October 1 through April 15. The 60th parallel runs roughly east to west just south of Prince William Sound and Seward. The Sterling Highway is a specific exception where studs become legal starting September 15 regardless of latitude.10Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. Studded Tires Now Legal in Alaska North of Latitude 60 State officials can extend these deadlines when weather warrants.
States With No Seasonal Limit
A smaller group places no calendar restriction on studded tires. Colorado, Kentucky, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Vermont, and Wyoming let drivers run studs in any month without penalty. Studs are rarely common in summer in these states; the rule simply means no one will cite you for leaving them on.
Stud Design and Vehicle Weight Limits
States that allow studs still regulate how the studs are built and what vehicles can carry them. Protrusion is the most common limit. Arkansas caps stud protrusion at 1/16 of an inch.7Justia. Arkansas Code 27-37-402 – Metal Studded Tires Lawful During Prescribed Period Minnesota, which bans studs for residents but allows out-of-state drivers passing through, limits average protrusion to 7/64 of an inch and caps stud diameter at 5/16 of an inch.1Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 169.72 – Tire Surface; Metal Studs Nevada caps the metal portion contacting the road at 3 percent of the tire’s total contact area.8Nevada Legislature. Nevada Revised Statutes 484D.510 – Use of Certain Cleated or Studded Tires Prohibited; Exceptions
Vehicle weight is the other common restriction. Virginia limits studded tires to vehicles with a gross weight of 10,000 pounds or less.9Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-1044 – Cleats, Etc., on Tires; Chains; Tires With Studs Tennessee draws the line at 9,000 pounds. Arkansas restricts studded truck tires to vehicles under 6,000 pounds. Thresholds differ, but the pattern holds: if you’re driving a heavy truck or commercial vehicle, studs are usually off the table even where they’re legal for passenger cars.
Crossing State Lines on Studded Tires
Driving between states with different rules creates a real compliance problem, especially where ban states border permissive ones. Many ban states carve out pass-through exceptions for out-of-state vehicles. Wisconsin allows nonresidents with out-of-state registration to drive on studs for up to 30 days.4Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Code 347 – Tire Equipment Minnesota allows a nearly identical window: 30 days within any consecutive six-month period.1Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 169.72 – Tire Surface; Metal Studs
The catch is in the details. Minnesota’s exception specifically excludes people whose regular workplace or school is inside the state, even when their vehicle is registered elsewhere. A cross-border commuter can lose the pass-through protection entirely.1Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 169.72 – Tire Surface; Metal Studs Before any winter trip that crosses a state line, check both your home state’s rules and the laws of every state on your route.
Fines and Liability if You Get Caught
Driving on studs outside the legal window, or in a ban state without an exception, is a traffic infraction in most places, not a criminal offense. Fines typically fall between $50 and $200. Oregon charges close to $200 for anyone caught with studs after March 31.11Oregon Department of Transportation. Traction Tires
The ticket is often the smaller cost. If you cause an accident while driving on illegal tires, an insurer reviewing the claim may argue your equipment contributed, which gives them room to contest or reduce coverage. The other driver’s attorney will use the violation to argue negligence, even when the studs had nothing to do with the collision. The illegal-equipment fact tends to stick in front of a jury or adjuster regardless of its actual causal weight.
Legal Alternatives When Studs Are Off the Table
Studs are not the only option, and in ban states they are not an option at all. Tire chains and cables are legal everywhere when conditions require them, and many mountain passes require them during storms. Colorado’s chain law requires two-wheel-drive vehicles to carry chains or an approved traction device from September 1 through May 31, and to install them whenever the Colorado Department of Transportation activates the overhead signs.12Colorado State Patrol. Chain Law Information
Modern studless winter tires use softer rubber compounds and specialized tread patterns to grip ice without metal. They are legal in every state and cause no road damage. They won’t match studs on glare ice, but on packed snow and cold dry pavement the gap is small for most drivers.
M+S vs. 3PMSF Tire Ratings
If your route runs through mountainous states, tire-sidewall markings matter. Two ratings show up in traction laws. M+S (mud and snow) tires meet a basic industry standard and are often the minimum requirement for AWD and 4WD vehicles under traction alerts. Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) tires meet a more demanding snow-performance test and use rubber compounds that stay pliable in freezing temperatures.13UDOT Wasatch Back. Traction Law
The distinction has legal weight. Utah’s tiered traction law requires two-wheel-drive vehicles to carry 3PMSF tires at minimum during a Class 2 alert, while AWD vehicles can meet it with M+S. At Class 3, even AWD vehicles need M+S or 3PMSF tires with at least 5/32 of an inch of remaining tread depth.14Utah Department of Transportation. Traction Law – Cottonwood Canyons Other mountain states use similar tiered systems. Checking your sidewall before leaving is worth the 30 seconds it takes.