Winter TyresSlovenia Winter Kit 2026: Tyres or Chains, 15 Nov-15 Mar
From 15 Nov to 15 Mar and in winter conditions, Slovenian cars need winter tyres on all wheels or summer tyres plus chains. 3 mm tread, no studs, fine EUR 40.
Slovenia requires winter equipment, not specifically winter tyres. From 15 November to 15 March, and outside those dates whenever winter conditions exist, a car up to 3,500 kg must have either winter tyres on all wheels or summer tyres plus correctly sized snow chains carried for the drive wheels. Any tyre counted as winter equipment needs 3 mm in its main grooves. Studded tyres are banned. The basic fine is EUR 40.
Two ways to be legal
Article 29 of the Road Traffic Rules Act (ZPrCP) sets the season and the condition; the Vehicle Parts and Equipment Rules define the kit:
- Cars and vans up to 3,500 kg (and trailers they tow): winter tyres on all wheels, or summer tyres with snow chains (or an equivalent traction aid) in the car for the drive wheels.
- Vehicles over 3,500 kg: winter tyres at least on the drive wheels, or summer tyres with chains for the drive wheels. Four-wheel-drive vehicles in this class need chains for at least one axle, and all of them must also carry a shovel.
A winter tyre is one marked M+S, M.S or M&S by its manufacturer, so all-season tyres with that marking qualify. The catch is tread: main grooves must be at least 3 mm deep, and a winter tyre below that is legally a summer tyre.
“Winter conditions” outside the dates means snow sticking to the road during snowfall, or a road that is snow-covered, icy or glazed with black ice.
The coastal exception
On Slovenia’s short Adriatic coast, summer tyres with at least 3 mm of tread count as winter equipment on their own. The zone is bounded by the sea, the Italian and Croatian borders and a line of roads from the Osp border crossing via Črni Kal and Gračišče to the Brezovica border crossing; those boundary roads themselves are outside it. Head inland towards Ljubljana or the Karst and the normal rule applies.
Fines
| Offence | Fine |
|---|---|
| No prescribed winter equipment, or ignoring a snow-chains-required sign | EUR 40 |
| Not clearing snow and ice from the vehicle | EUR 200 |
| Ignoring signs closing or restricting a road for winter conditions | EUR 300 |
| Getting stuck or blocking traffic without the required equipment | EUR 500 + 5 penalty points |
The chains option is legal, but on the Karawanks and Julian Alps routes — the approaches to Kranjska Gora, the Vršič road and the Ljubelj pass — fitting chains by the roadside in falling snow is where most drivers wish they had fitted winter tyres instead.
Sources
- Agencija za varnost prometa (AVP), Zimska oprema — ZPrCP article 29, equipment definitions by vehicle class, 3 mm, M+S marking, coastal zone, fines.
- promet.si, Zimska oprema in 15. november — season, definitions, stud ban, legal references.
More on Slovenia
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
Winter equipment is mandatory from 15 November to 15 March, and outside those dates whenever winter conditions exist. For a car up to 3,500 kg, that means winter tyres on all wheels, or summer tyres with correctly sized snow chains carried for the drive wheels.
The main grooves of any tyre counted as winter equipment must be at least 3 mm deep. A winter tyre below 3 mm is treated as a summer tyre.
No. Studded tyres may not be used in road traffic in Slovenia.
EUR 40. It rises to EUR 500 plus 5 penalty points if a vehicle without the required equipment gets stuck or blocks other traffic.