Can I drive on summer tyres in winter in Sweden?
No — in winter road conditions between 1 December and 31 March, cars must run winter tyres. What decides is the road, not the calendar: the requirement bites when there is snow, ice, slush or frost on the road, and if the road is dry you may use summer tyres even in the middle of the period. Winter tyres must have at least 3 mm tread depth — not the 1.6 mm that applies the rest of the year. Studded tyres are allowed 1 October–15 April and must be off by 16 April unless winter persists. Stockholm also has a year-round studded-tyre ban on certain streets, including Hornsgatan and Fleminggatan. Driving without winter tyres in winter conditions brings a 2,000 kr fine.
📋 The rules
- Winter tyres required in winter conditions 1 Dec–31 Mar
- Winter tyres: at least 3 mm tread depth
- Studded tyres allowed 1 Oct–15 Apr
- Stockholm: year-round studded-tyre ban on certain streets
- Fine without winter tyres in winter conditions: 2,000 kr
🔓 Exceptions
- If the road is dry you may use summer tyres even within the period
- Stockholm exemption for e.g. a disabled parking permit
- Bicycles and class-II mopeds are not covered by the studded-tyre ban
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Driving without winter tyres in winter conditions brings a 2,000 kr fine, after the fee was raised on 21 February 2025. Studs out of season cost 500 kr, and studs on a banned Stockholm street about 1,000 kr — that ban runs all year, not only in winter. The expensive surprise is the tread depth: a tyre that is perfectly legal in summer at 1.6 mm does not qualify as a winter tyre, where the limit is 3 mm. A worn winter tyre can therefore cost you 2,000 kr even though you changed tyres in good time.
📎 Official sources
- Transport Agency · Winter tyres →
- City of Stockholm · Studded tyres →
- Traffic Ordinance (1998:1276) · Riksdagen →
❓ Frequently asked
Must I have winter tyres in winter?
Yes, in winter road conditions between 1 December and 31 March — that is, when there is snow, ice, slush or frost on the road. If the road is dry you may use summer tyres even mid-period; the road decides, not the date.
How deep must the winter tyre tread be?
At least 3 mm during the winter period, almost double the usual limit of 1.6 mm. A tyre that is legal in summer can therefore be illegal as a winter tyre in winter road conditions.
When can I use studded tyres?
Between 1 October and 15 April. They must be off by 16 April unless winter still persists, and studs out of season bring a 500 kr fine. The studded-tyre ban on certain Stockholm streets, by contrast, runs all year.
Where are studded tyres banned in Stockholm?
Year-round on streets including Hornsgatan and Fleminggatan, with fines of about 1,000 kr. Crossing such a street with studs is allowed, and exemptions exist for example for holders of a disabled parking permit.
What does driving without winter tyres cost?
2,000 kr in fines in winter road conditions, after the fee was raised in February 2025. The fine applies even if you have fitted winter tyres but the tread is under 3 mm, because they then do not qualify as winter tyres.
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