Winter TyresWinter Tyres in Turkey 2026: 1 Dec-1 Apr, by Order
Compulsory from 1 December to 1 April for intercity commercial passenger and goods vehicles, and a provincial governor can extend it to 15 November-15 April or apply it to cars.
Turkey’s winter tyre mandate runs 1 December to 1 April for intercity commercial passenger and goods vehicles — and a provincial governor can widen it to 15 November - 15 April, or extend it to private cars.
The dates are set by order, not by the statute
Article 65/A of the Turkish road traffic act was rewritten on 12 February 2026, and the new text deliberately names no dates. It says winter tyre use “is made compulsory for certain periods of the year, by vehicle type, by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure according to the weather and climate conditions of the provinces”, and lets the Ministry hand that power to provincial governors (mevzuat.gov.tr). The long-standing national window for intercity commercial passenger and goods vehicles is 1 December to 1 April, extendable by a governor to 15 November - 15 April.
For a private car the question is therefore local: it is compulsory where the governor of the province you are driving through has ordered it, and not elsewhere. Geography makes that easy to predict. Coastal Istanbul and the Aegean are mild; the Anatolian interior and the eastern mountains get heavy, prolonged snow, and the passes there are where police check. If your route in December to April goes beyond the coast — Cappadocia, Ankara, the east — fit winter tyres and carry chains. Along the mild coast you will rarely need either.
Winter Tyre Rules in Turkey
The mandate is situational by province and vehicle class rather than a flat national calendar rule.
Inside an active period, a covered vehicle must have winter tyres fitted; outside it, or in a province that has issued no order, ordinary tyres are legal. Whenever roads are covered with snow, ice or slush, winter tyres are the practical requirement regardless of what the calendar says.
In practice the dates you will see announced are 1 December - 1 April, extended in colder provinces to 15 November - 15 April.
Minimum Tread Depth
The legal minimum tread depth in Turkey is 1.6 mm.
For winter driving, a tread depth of at least 3.0 mm is strongly recommended.
Studded Tyres
Turkey bans studded tyres entirely. Metal studs damage road surfaces and are not allowed.
All-Season Tyres
All-season tyres (marked M+S or 3PMSF) are accepted in Turkey as a winter alternative.
Related Driving Rules
- Alcohol limit: 0.05 BAC
- Motorway speed limit: 130 km/h (140 km/h on build-operate-transfer toll motorways)
- 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 in Turkey can issue on-the-spot fines for non-compliant tyres during roadside checks. This is especially common at border crossings and mountain passes during winter months.
Foreign-plated vehicles are not exempt. Rental companies in Turkey typically fit winter tyres during the mandatory period, but always confirm at pick-up.
Tyre Marking Requirements
Accepted marking in Turkey: M+S.
The M+S (Mud and Snow) marking remains accepted in Turkey, but the industry is moving toward the stricter 3PMSF standard. If buying new tyres, choose 3PMSF for maximum cross-border compatibility.
All-Season Tyres: Good Enough?
Turkey accepts all-season tyres as a winter alternative, provided they carry the correct marking. They work well for mild winters and mixed driving.
However, dedicated winter tyres outperform all-seasons below 7 degrees Celsius. If your route includes mountain passes or areas with regular snowfall, a dedicated set is the safer choice.
Studded Tyres
Turkey bans studded tyres entirely. Using them — even temporarily — carries a fine and may void your insurance.
Insurance Implications
Driving without winter tyres where an order requires them can weigh against you in an accident claim in Turkey. Even if you are not at fault, the insurer may reduce your payout if your vehicle was not compliant at the time of the incident.
Tread Depth Reality
The legal minimum in Turkey is 1.6 mm, but tyre performance drops sharply below 3.0 mm. Replacing tyres before they hit the legal limit gives you a meaningful safety margin on wet or icy roads.
How Turkey Compares
| Country | Winter Tyres | Period | Studded | Min Tread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | Situational | 1 Dec - 1 Apr (intercity commercial vehicles; governor may extend to 15 Nov - 15 Apr or to cars) | Prohibited | 1.6 mm |
| Greece | Not_Required | — | Unknown | 1.6 mm |
| Bulgaria | Mandatory | 15 Nov - 1 Mar (winter tyres, or 4 mm tread) | Prohibited | 4 mm for non-winter tyres in season |
| Georgia | Situational | When conditions require (mountain roads) | Allowed | 1.6 mm |
| Iran | Situational | November - March (mountainous regions) | Allowed_Seasonal | 1.6 mm |
Key Facts at a Glance
| Country | Turkey |
| Winter tyres mandatory | Situational |
| Mandatory period | 1 Dec - 1 Apr for intercity commercial vehicles; extendable by a governor to 15 Nov - 15 Apr |
| Who decides | Ministry of Transport, delegable to provincial governors (Art. 65/A) |
| Min tread depth | 1.6 mm |
| Recommended tread | 3.0 mm |
| Studded tyres | Prohibited |
| All-season accepted | Yes |
| Required marking | M+S |
| Emergency number | 155 |
Learn More
Plan your trip with these detailed guides:
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
The national window for intercity commercial passenger and goods vehicles is 1 December to 1 April, and a provincial governor may extend it to 15 November - 15 April. Private cars are covered only where a governor's order says so.
Article 65/A of the road traffic act, rewritten on 12 February 2026, gives the Ministry of Transport the power to make winter tyres compulsory by province and by vehicle type according to local climate, and to delegate that power to provincial governors.
No. Studded tyres are prohibited in Turkey. A 3PMSF or M+S winter tyre is the legal way to get grip on ice here.
1.6 mm year-round. For winter driving, 3.0 mm is the practical floor - a winter tyre loses much of its point below that.