Winter TyresSweden Winter Tyres 2026: Snow Triggers It, SEK 2,000 Fine
1 Dec-31 Mar, winter tyres are required whenever the road has snow, ice, slush or frost. Cars need 3 mm tread and the alpine symbol; studs 1 Oct-15 Apr; fine SEK 2,000.
Sweden’s rule is a calendar window with a weather switch. From 1 December to 31 March, a car must run on winter tyres (or equivalent equipment) whenever there is vinterväglag — snow, ice, slush or frost on any part of the road. A car’s winter tyres need at least 3 mm of tread and, if they are non-studded, the alpine (three-peak mountain snowflake) symbol. Getting it wrong costs SEK 2,000.
A dry road in January is still legal on summer rubber
The dates do not, on their own, oblige you to swap tyres. The legal trigger is the road surface: if any part of the carriageway carries snow, ice, slush or frost between 1 December and 31 March, winter tyres are compulsory, and it is the police officer at the roadside who decides whether that condition exists. In practice, across most of Sweden, it exists for most of that window, and a rental car collected in Stockholm or Luleå in winter will already be on winter or studded tyres.
The requirement covers cars, light trucks, light buses and the trailers they tow. Heavy trucks and buses follow a separate, fixed window from 10 November to 10 April.
What counts as a winter tyre
Two tests apply to a car:
- Tread of at least 3 mm. A winter tyre worn below that stops counting as one. Vehicles above 3,500 kg need 5 mm.
- Alpine symbol on non-studded tyres. Transportstyrelsen requires the three-peak mountain snowflake marking; a tyre stamped only M+S is not a winter tyre for a Swedish car.
The general 1.6 mm minimum still exists, but it is the summer figure. In the winter window, on a wintry road, 1.6 mm is not legal.
Studs: 1 October to 15 April
Studded tyres (dubbdäck) are permitted from 1 October to 15 April. Between 16 April and 30 September they may be used only if winter road conditions exist or are expected — a late snowfall in Norrland in May is covered, a warm spring drive to Malmö is not. Out-of-season studs carry a SEK 500 fixed penalty.
Separately, several city councils ban studs on particular streets to cut road dust. Those bans are signposted, and the Police list a SEK 1,000 penalty for ignoring them. If you cross into Sweden on studs from Norway or Finland, the dates above apply from the border onwards.
The fines, as scheduled
| Offence | Fixed penalty |
|---|---|
| Car without winter tyres or equivalent, 1 Dec-31 Mar, winter road conditions | SEK 2,000 |
| Heavy truck or bus without winter tyres, 10 Nov-10 Apr | SEK 2,000 |
| Studded tyres outside the permitted period | SEK 500 |
| Studs on a street with a local stud ban | SEK 1,000 |
Sources
- Swedish Police, Vinter- och sommardäck — conditions, tread depths, stud dates, local stud bans.
- Transportstyrelsen, Vinterdäck — alpine-symbol requirement, heavy-vehicle window, exemptions.
- Åklagarmyndigheten, Ordningsbotskatalog, bilaga 1A (items 12.1-12.2, SEK 2,000) and bilaga 1B (studs out of season, SEK 500).
More on Sweden
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
Between 1 December and 31 March, yes, whenever there is winter road condition (vinterväglag): snow, ice, slush or frost on any part of the road. The police judge the conditions at the roadside. On a dry, frost-free road in that window, the requirement does not bite.
At least 3 mm on cars and light vehicles, and 5 mm on vehicles over 3,500 kg. A winter tyre worn below 3 mm no longer satisfies the winter rule.
From 1 October to 15 April. Outside those dates studs are allowed only if winter road conditions exist or are expected. Some city streets ban studs altogether.
SEK 2,000 on the prosecutor's fixed-penalty schedule for driving a car between 1 December and 31 March without winter tyres or equivalent equipment when winter road conditions apply. Studs outside the permitted period carry SEK 500.