Is Studded Snow Tires Legal? Laws in All 50 States (2026)

Quick Answer

Studded Snow Tires is legal in 39 states as of 2026. It's banned in 6 states and restricted with conditions in 5. Laws vary significantly — what's perfectly fine in one state can carry criminal penalties next door.

39 Legal

5 Restricted

6 Illegal

Last verified: April 2026 · About our research

Studded Snow Tires Legality Map

Legal

Restrictions

Illegal

Unverified

All 50 States

State	Status	Summary
Alabama	RESTRICTED	Studded snow tires are allowed in Alabama only when required for safety due to specific weather conditions like snow or ...	Details →
Alaska	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in Alaska. The state frequently adjusts the legal usage dates via emergency orders based on...	Details →
Arizona	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in Arizona. No significant changes to the statute have occurred since its last major revisi...	Details →
Arkansas	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in Arkansas. The law has been stable for many years with no recent amendments to the usage ...	Details →
California	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in California. The law allowing for retractable studs year-round is a relatively recent add...	Details →
Colorado	LEGAL	Studded snow tires are legal year-round in Colorado with no seasonal restrictions. Colorado's law permitting year-round ...	Details →
Connecticut	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in Connecticut. The end date for studded tire use was extended from April 1st to April 30th...	Details →
Delaware	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in Delaware. The law has been consistent for many years, with no recent changes to the date...	Details →
Florida	RESTRICTED	Metal studded tires are generally prohibited on public roads in Florida due to potential road damage, but rubber studs t...	Details →
Georgia	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in Georgia. There have been no significant changes to this law in recent years.	Details →
Hawaii	RESTRICTED	The use of studded snow tires is prohibited on public roads in Hawaii except on the designated Mauna Kea access road whe...	Details →
Idaho	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in Idaho. The law was amended in 2015 to allow for retractable studs, a significant change ...	Details →
Illinois	RESTRICTED	The use of studded snow tires is generally prohibited on public roads in Illinois, with very limited exceptions for rura...	Details →
Indiana	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in Indiana. The law was updated to explicitly include retractable tire studs, which can be ...	Details →
Iowa	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in Iowa. There have been no significant changes to Iowa's studded tire law in recent years.	Details →
Kansas	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in Kansas. While the statute has not changed since 1994, the secretary of transportation ha...	Details →
Kentucky	LEGAL	Studded snow tires are legal year-round in Kentucky with no seasonal restrictions. There have been no recent changes to ...	Details →
Louisiana	ILLEGAL	The use of studded tires is prohibited on public roads in Louisiana with no exceptions.	Details →
Maine	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in Maine. The law was amended in 2019 to clarify the exemption for school buses.	Details →
Maryland	RESTRICTED	Studded snow tires are permitted in five specific counties in Maryland from November 1 to March 31. Outside these counti...	Details →
Massachusetts	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in Massachusetts. There have been no significant recent changes to the law.	Details →
Michigan	ILLEGAL	Michigan law prohibits the use of studded tires at all times to protect its roads. There are no exceptions for winter we...	Details →
Minnesota	ILLEGAL	The use of studded snow tires is prohibited on public roads in Minnesota with no exceptions for winter weather.	Details →
Mississippi	ILLEGAL	The use of studded snow tires is prohibited on public roads in Mississippi with no exceptions.	Details →
Missouri	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in Missouri. There have been no significant recent changes to the law.	Details →
Montana	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in Montana. There have been no significant recent changes to the law.	Details →
Nebraska	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in Nebraska. The law was last amended in 2017, but the core provisions regarding studded ti...	Details →
Nevada	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in Nevada. The law allowing for retractable studs is a relatively recent addition, reflecti...	Details →
New Hampshire	LEGAL	Studded snow tires are legal year-round in New Hampshire with no seasonal restrictions. There have been no recent change...	Details →
New Jersey	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in New Jersey. The regulation was re-adopted in 2021, but the core provisions and dates hav...	Details →
New Mexico	LEGAL	Studded snow tires are legal year-round in New Mexico with no seasonal restrictions. There have been no significant rece...	Details →
New York	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in New York. There have been no significant recent changes to the law.	Details →
North Carolina	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in North Carolina. There have been no significant recent changes to the law.	Details →
North Dakota	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in North Dakota. There have been no significant recent changes to the law.	Details →
Ohio	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in Ohio. The law was last amended in 2008 to include provisions for retractable studded tir...	Details →
Oklahoma	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in Oklahoma. The use of studded tires is restricted to specific winter months in Oklahoma.	Details →
Oregon	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in Oregon. The use of studded tires is restricted to specific winter months in Oregon.	Details →
Pennsylvania	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in Pennsylvania. The use of studded tires is restricted to specific winter months in Pennsy...	Details →
Rhode Island	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in Rhode Island. The use of studded tires is restricted to specific winter months in Rhode ...	Details →
South Carolina	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in South Carolina. The use of studded tires is restricted to specific winter months in Sout...	Details →
South Dakota	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in South Dakota. The use of studded tires is restricted to specific winter months in South ...	Details →
Tennessee	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in Tennessee. The use of studded tires is restricted to specific winter months in Tennessee...	Details →
Texas	ILLEGAL	The use of studded tires is prohibited on public roads in Texas.	Details →
Utah	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in Utah. The use of studded tires is restricted to specific winter months in Utah.	Details →
Vermont	LEGAL	Studded snow tires are legal year-round in Vermont with no seasonal restrictions. The use of studded tires is legal year...	Details →
Virginia	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in Virginia. The use of studded tires is restricted to specific winter months in Virginia.	Details →
Washington	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in Washington. The use of studded tires is restricted to specific winter months in Washingt...	Details →
West Virginia	LEGAL	Studded Snow Tires are legal in West Virginia. The use of studded tires is restricted to specific winter months in West ...	Details →
Wisconsin	ILLEGAL	The use of studded tires is prohibited on public roads in Wisconsin.	Details →
Wyoming	LEGAL	Studded snow tires are legal year-round in Wyoming with no seasonal restrictions. The use of studded tires is legal year...	Details →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Studded Snow Tires legal in the United States?

How many states allow studded snow tires?

As of 2026, studded snow tires is legal in 39 states, restricted with conditions in 5 states, and illegal in 6 states. Use the map and table on this page to check your specific state.

What happens if you get caught with studded snow tires in a state where it's illegal?

Penalties range from civil fines to felony charges depending on the state. Some states treat first offenses as misdemeanors with small fines, while others classify possession as a felony carrying prison time. Check the specific state page for exact penalties, charge levels, and enforcement likelihood.

Can you travel across state lines with studded snow tires?

Crossing state lines changes which laws apply. If studded snow tires is legal in your home state but illegal in the state you're entering, you can face criminal charges the moment you cross the border. This applies to driving, flying, and shipping.