Can I drive on summer tyres in winter in Norway?
There is no date that forces you to change tyres — but you are always responsible for having tyres suited to the conditions. That is the misunderstanding people live on: no calendar rule does not mean a free pass, because if the snow comes in October, summer tyres are illegal that same evening. In winter the tyres must have at least 3 mm tread depth (1.6 mm in summer). Studded tyres are only allowed in season: 1 November to the first Sunday after Easter Monday, and in Nordland, Troms and Finnmark 16 October–30 April. If you use studs, all four wheels must be studded, while studless winter tyres are allowed all year. In Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger and Trondheim you must buy a studded-tyre pass to use studs in the city.
📋 The rules
- No fixed date rule — you must have tyres suited to the conditions
- Winter tyres: at least 3 mm tread (1.6 mm summer)
- Studded tyres: 1 Nov–first Sunday after Easter (16 Oct–30 Apr north)
- If you use studs, all wheels must be studded
- Studded-tyre fee in Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger, Trondheim
🔓 Exceptions
- Studs or chains can be used out of season when conditions require it
- Heavy vehicles over 3,500 kg have their own winter rules
- Nordland, Troms and Finnmark have a longer studded season (16 Oct–30 Apr)
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Driving on poor tyres brings a fixed fine, often around 750 kr per tyre below the tread requirement — and since the fine is counted per tyre, four worn tyres become four fines in the same check. Illegal use of studs out of season is dealt with the same way, and if you use studs in Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger or Trondheim without the pass, a control fee comes on top. The amounts are not the main point, though: the responsibility for having tyres suited to the conditions sits with you as the driver at all times, including when no date in the calendar tells you that you should have changed.
📎 Official sources
- Road Administration · Tyres and chains →
- Studded-Tyre Fee Regulation · Lovdata →
- Vehicle Use Regulation · Lovdata →
❓ Frequently asked
Must I have winter tyres in winter?
There is no fixed date rule, but you must always have tyres suited to the conditions. If the snow comes early, summer tyres are illegal straight away, and in winter the tread depth must be at least 3 mm against 1.6 mm in summer.
When can I use studded tyres?
From 1 November to the first Sunday after Easter Monday, and in Nordland, Troms and Finnmark from 16 October to 30 April. Out of season you may still use studs or chains when the conditions require it.
Must all wheels be studded?
Yes. If you use studded tyres, all four wheels must be studded — you cannot combine two studded tyres at the front with studless ones at the back. Studless winter tyres, by contrast, are allowed all year, with no season and no pass.
What is the studded-tyre fee?
A pass you must buy to use studs in Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger and Trondheim, with a day, month or season price. Use studs in one of those cities without it and you get a control fee — the fee is about the city, not about the tyres themselves.
What does driving on poor tyres cost?
A fixed fine, often around 750 kr per tyre that is below the 3 mm tread requirement. Because the amount is counted per tyre, a check with four worn tyres can quickly cost four times what people expect.
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