Winter TyresLithuania Winter Tyres 2026-27: 10 Nov, 3 mm Minimum
Compulsory from 10 November to 31 March, whatever the weather, and the tyres need 3 mm of tread rather than the usual 1.6 mm. All-seasons are not accepted as a substitute; studs are.
Yes — and the date decides, not the forecast. Winter tyres are compulsory on all vehicles from 10 November to 31 March. Two tread figures apply: 1.6 mm is the year-round legal floor, but a winter tyre used inside that period has to carry at least 3 mm, so a set that is legal in summer can be illegal in January.
A firm fixed period — and studs are welcome
Lithuania makes winter tyres compulsory from 10 November to 31 March — a fixed period, so there’s no guessing about conditions — and like its Baltic neighbours it permits studded tyres during that window, which many drivers use on the ice. The tread requirement is the part people miss: the year-round floor is 1.6 mm, but the winter tyres fitted for the season must have at least 3 mm left. The rule covers the whole road network, not just the highways. If you’re driving the Via Baltica transit corridor or heading out of Vilnius in that window, fit proper winter or studded tyres for the season rather than gambling on a mild spell, and check the tread before you set off rather than at the border.
Winter Tyre Rules in Lithuania
Lithuania enforces a strict winter tyre law.
The mandatory period runs from 10 November to 31 March. During this window, every vehicle on public roads must be fitted with approved winter tyres.
Tyres must carry the M+S or 3PMSF marking to be considered compliant.
Minimum Tread Depth
Two thresholds, and both are legal rather than advisory. The general minimum for any tyre is 1.6 mm. A winter tyre used during the mandatory period has to hold at least 3 mm, which is the figure a roadside check in December will measure against.
Studded Tyres
Studs are allowed while the winter obligation runs and restricted outside it. That makes Lithuania unlike Poland to the south, where studs are prohibited outright — worth knowing if you are driving the Via Baltica through both.
All-Season Tyres
Lithuania does not accept all-season tyres as a substitute for winter tyres during the mandatory period.
Related Driving Rules
- Alcohol limit: 0.04 BAC
- Motorway speed limit: 130 km/h
- Warning triangle: Required
- Reflective vest: Required
- First aid kit: Required
Verify tyre requirements for your destination
Check Tyre RequirementsWhat Most Guides Don’t Tell You
How Strictly Is This Enforced?
Police can check tyres at the roadside, and the offence sits in the Administrative Offences Code (ANK art. 415) rather than in a headline tariff. Checks cluster where traffic concentrates — the Via Baltica corridor, the Polish and Latvian border crossings, and the approaches to Vilnius and Klaipėda.
Tyre Marking Requirements
Accepted marking in Lithuania: M+S or 3PMSF (min 3 mm tread in winter).
All-Season Tyres: Good Enough?
Lithuania does not accept all-season tyres as a substitute for dedicated winter tyres. Make sure your tyres are specifically rated for winter conditions.
Studded Tyres
Insurance Implications
Because the obligation is calendar-based, an accident on 20 November with summer tyres fitted is an accident in breach of a clear rule. Insurers read that in their own favour, and the tyre choice is easy for an assessor to establish after the fact. Check your policy wording before the date, not after.
Tread Depth Reality
In Lithuania the 3 mm winter figure is not a safety recommendation borrowed from a tyre maker — during the mandatory period it is the number that has to be there. Buying a set with 4 mm left on it leaves almost no season in hand.
How Lithuania Compares
| Country | Winter Tyres | Period | Studded | Min Tread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lithuania | Required | 10 Nov - 31 Mar | Permitted in the period | 1.6 mm (3 mm on winter tyres in the period) |
| Latvia | Required | 1 Dec - 1 Mar | Restricted | 1.6 mm |
| Poland | Not required | — | Prohibited | 1.6 mm |
| Russia | Required | Dec - Feb (varies by region; summer tyres prohibited Dec-Feb) | Allowed | 1.6 mm |
Key Facts at a Glance
| Country | Lithuania |
| Winter tyres mandatory | Required — by date, not by conditions |
| Mandatory period | 10 November - 31 March |
| Min tread depth | 1.6 mm year-round |
| Winter tyre tread in the period | 3 mm |
| Studded tyres | Permitted during the winter period |
| All-season accepted | No |
| Required marking | M+S or 3PMSF |
| Emergency number | 112 |
Learn More
Get the complete details on Lithuania driving regulations:
Crossing more than one border this winter? See winter tyre rules, dates and legal tread minimums for every country →
Tyre details
- Winter tyre rated below your car's top speed? Read the speed letter — 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.
- EU tyre label grades for wet grip and fuel use — What each letter and pictogram on the sticker actually measures.
- 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
Yes, by the calendar rather than the weather. Winter tyres are compulsory on every vehicle from 10 November to 31 March, whether or not there is snow on the road that week.
Yes, during the winter period. Studs are permitted while the obligation runs and restricted outside it, which is why hire fleets in Vilnius and Kaunas switch the whole fleet on a date rather than on a forecast.
Two figures apply. The year-round legal minimum is 1.6 mm, but a winter tyre used during the mandatory period has to carry at least 3 mm — a tyre that passes in July can therefore fail in December.