Winter TyresDenmark Winter Tyres 2026: Optional, Studs 1 Nov to 15 Apr
No. Denmark has no winter tyre rule; tread must be 1.6 mm and studs are allowed only 1 November to 15 April on all wheels. Sweden's rule applies once you cross.
Denmark does not require winter tyres. The only seasonal rule is for studs: 1 November to 15 April, on every wheel.
What Danish law actually says about tyres
Denmark regulates tyres through the vehicle equipment order issued by Færdselsstyrelsen, and it contains no winter tyre obligation at all. What it does set is:
- Tread: at least 1.6 mm in the main grooves, the wide channels across the central three quarters of the tread.
- Studs: on a car, motorcycle, large moped or registered trailer, studded tyres may be used only from 1 November to 15 April, and only if all the wheels of the vehicle or combination have them.
- Same axle, same tyre: tyres on one axle must share dimension and type, apart from a temporary spare.
That makes Denmark one of the few Nordic-area countries where a visitor can legally drive through January on summer tyres. Whether that is wise is another matter: frost on the bridges and causeways of the Storebælt and Øresund crossings is common on cold mornings.
The rule that bites is across the water
Once you cross the Øresund Bridge, Swedish law applies. Between 1 December and 31 March Sweden requires winter tyres or equivalent equipment whenever there are winter road conditions, meaning snow, ice, slush or frost on any part of the road, and the tread must be at least 3 mm. Police decide whether conditions are wintry where they stop you, and the rule covers foreign-registered cars. If a Scandinavian loop is on the plan, fit tyres that satisfy Sweden before you leave Denmark.
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Sources
- Bekendtgørelse om detailforskrifter for køretøjers indretning, udstyr og anvendelse, nr. 907 of 25 June 2025, § 18 (studded tyres) and tyre annex (1.6 mm tread): https://www.lovtidende.dk/api/pdf/250719
- Transportstyrelsen, Vinterdäck (1 December to 31 March, winter road conditions, 3 mm): https://www.transportstyrelsen.se/vinterdack
Crossing more than one border this winter? See winter tyre rules, dates and legal tread minimums for every country →
Tyre details
- EU tyre label grades for wet grip and fuel use — What each letter and pictogram on the sticker actually measures.
- What the speed letter on the sidewall allows — H, V, W and Y decoded, plus the sticker rule for lower-rated winter sets.
- Load index: will the tyre carry a loaded car? — The two- or three-digit number that caps weight per tyre.
- Tyre noise ratings in decibels — What the dB figure and the A, B or C class on the label mean inside the car.
- Starting tyre pressure for your size and load — A starting figure in bar and psi, then the door placard has the final word.
Full rules, fines & requirements
Winter tyres, tread depth & rules
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Related Questions
No. Danish vehicle rules contain no winter tyre requirement and no fitting season. Summer, all-season and winter tyres are all legal all year, provided the tread is at least 1.6 mm.
From 1 November to 15 April only, and only if every wheel on the car, and on any registered trailer it tows, has them. The rule is section 18 of the Danish vehicle equipment order of 25 June 2025.
1.6 mm in the main tread grooves for a car, measured across the central three quarters of the tread.
Yes. From 1 December to 31 March Sweden requires winter tyres, or equivalent equipment, whenever there are winter road conditions, with at least 3 mm of tread. Police decide on the spot whether conditions are wintry.