Do I really have to fit winter tyres from 15 November?
You need winter equipment, not necessarily winter tyres — though in practice tyres are the easiest option. Winter equipment is required from 15 November to 15 March, and also outside that period in winter conditions, when the road is snow-covered, icy or frozen (Article 29 ZPrCP). For a car up to 3,500 kg, winter equipment means one of two things: winter tyres marked M+S on all four wheels, or summer tyres plus snow chains for the driven wheels carried in the vehicle. The main tread grooves must be at least 3 mm deep; a winter tyre with a shallower tread counts legally as a summer tyre. The myth that nothing matters before 15 November is false — if snow falls in October, you must already have the equipment. The fine for a driver without the required equipment is 40 euros, but if inadequate equipment obstructs or halts traffic it is 500 euros and 5 penalty points. In the coastal region, summer tyres with at least 3 mm of tread also count as winter equipment.
📋 The rules
- Period and conditions (Article 29 ZPrCP): winter equipment is compulsory from 15 November to 15 March of the following year, and always in winter conditions (snow on the road, ice, frost), regardless of the date.
- A car (up to 3,500 kg): winter tyres M+S on all wheels or summer tyres with snow chains for the driven wheels carried in the vehicle; the main tread grooves must be at least 3 mm deep.
- Vehicles over 3,500 kg: winter tyres at least on the driven wheels, or summer tyres with chains; they must also carry a shovel, and four-wheel-drive vehicles need chains for at least one axle.
- Fines: a driver without the required equipment 40 €; failing to clear snow or ice off the vehicle 200 €; ignoring winter-conditions signs 300 €; obstructing traffic with inadequate equipment 500 € and 5 penalty points.
- A legal entity whose driver breaches the winter-equipment rules is fined 1,000 €, and the responsible person 120 € — so the duty also concerns employers and their vehicle fleets.
🔓 Exceptions
- The coastal region: there, summer tyres with main tread grooves at least 3 mm deep also count as winter equipment, since winter conditions on the coast are rare; the area is defined precisely in the Rulebook on vehicle parts and equipment.
- Where a traffic sign expressly requires snow chains, you must fit them even if you have winter tyres — the compulsory-chains sign overrides the general rule.
- Outside the 15 November–15 March period and with no winter conditions you may drive on summer tyres; the duty is triggered by either the date or the actual winter conditions on the road, whichever comes first.
⚠️ Penalties & fines
For a driver the base fine is 40 euros, but the cost rises fast. If inadequate equipment obstructs or halts traffic — for example you get stuck on a snowy hill — the fine is 500 euros and 5 penalty points; ignoring signs that mark winter conditions costs 300 euros, and driving with uncleared snow or ice on the vehicle 200 euros. If the driver breaches the rules on behalf of a legal entity, the entity is fined 1,000 euros and the responsible person 120 euros. The biggest risk is to safety and property: with no grip on snow or ice you are a common cause of crashes, and after a crash the insurer can reduce or refuse a comprehensive-cover payout because of inadequate equipment and seek recovery from the driver at fault. Five hundred euros and five points can therefore be the smallest part of the bill if you get stuck and block the road.
📎 Official sources
- AVP · Traffic Safety Agency (winter equipment) →
- PISRS · statute register (ZPrCP, Article 29, and the Rulebook on vehicle parts and equipment) →
- Police · guidance for driving in winter conditions →
❓ Frequently asked
From when to when is winter equipment compulsory?
The prescribed period is from 15 November to 15 March of the following year. Outside that period winter equipment is always compulsory whenever there are winter conditions on the road — snow, ice or frost. The duty is triggered by the date or the actual conditions, whichever comes first.
Do I need winter tyres, or are chains enough?
For a car you have two lawful options: winter tyres M+S on all wheels, or summer tyres with snow chains for the driven wheels carried in the vehicle. Chains in the boot are therefore a permitted alternative to winter tyres, as long as you fit them when needed.
How deep must the winter tyre tread be?
The main tread grooves must be at least 3 millimetres deep. A winter tyre with a tread shallower than 3 mm is treated legally as a summer tyre and no longer counts as winter equipment, even if it carries the M+S marking on the sidewall.
How much is the fine if I have no winter equipment?
For a driver without the required winter equipment the fine is 40 euros. If inadequate equipment obstructs or halts traffic, for example when you get stuck on a hill, the fine rises to 500 euros and 5 penalty points, which is a far more serious consequence.
Is there an exception for the coast?
In the coastal region, summer tyres with main tread grooves at least 3 mm deep also count as winter equipment. The area is defined precisely in the Rulebook on vehicle parts and equipment, while elsewhere in Slovenia this exception does not apply.
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