When are winter tyres mandatory in Finland?
From the start of November to the end of March — when conditions demand. The 2020 Road Traffic Act made the rule weather-based: winter tyres must be used 1 Nov–31 Mar whenever weather or road conditions require it (ice, snow, slush). So the calendar alone does not decide — a dry, bare road in November does not automatically make summer tyres an offence, but a snowy one does. Studded tyres are allowed 1 Oct–15 Apr, and outside that window too if conditions genuinely demand them. Studless winter (friction) tyres may be used year-round. And tread depth is a requirement of its own: the main grooves of a winter tyre must be at least 3.0 mm.
📋 The rules
- Winter tyres are required on cars and vans 1 Nov–31 Mar if weather or road conditions demand.
- Weather-based means: dry summer-like roads in November don't automatically make summer tyres an offence — snowy roads do.
- Studded tyres are allowed 1 Oct–15 Apr — extended to the Monday after a late Easter — and any other time conditions require.
- Minimum main-groove depth for winter tyres is 3.0 mm (5 mm recommended for winter driving).
- Friction (studless winter) tyres may be used all year.
🔓 Exceptions
- Late cold snaps: studs are legal after 15 Apr if conditions actually require them.
- Museum vehicles and some special vehicles have their own exemptions.
- Friction tyres are permitted all year — in summer they wear fast and grip worse, but they are not unlawful.
⚠️ Penalties
The wrong tyres in winter conditions can bring a traffic penalty fee, but the worse financial blow comes from elsewhere: your insurer can cut compensation after a crash if the tyres did not match the conditions. Tyres also weigh in the assessment of fault: summer tyres on a snowy road shift responsibility onto you even where the other party made the mistake. And tread depth is the forgotten one: a winter tyre's main grooves must be at least 3.0 mm — 5 mm or more is recommended for winter driving, because grip falls away sharply below that. Under 3 mm the tyre is simply unlawful in winter, whatever it says on the sidewall.
📎 Sources
- Nokian Tyres · When may you legally drive on winter/summer tyres →
- Finnish Tyre Association · Tyre regulations →
- Liikenneturva · Changing winter tyres by conditions →
❓ Frequently asked questions
Can I drive on summer tyres in December if it is dry?
By the letter of the law winter tyres are needed only when conditions demand. Sudden weather is your own risk, however, and summer tyres in midwinter are a bad idea for your insurance too.
When must studs come off?
Studded tyres are allowed until 15 April, and until the Monday after a late Easter. After that only if conditions genuinely require them.
Can friction tyres be used in summer?
Yes, all year round. They wear quickly and grip worse than summer tyres in the heat, but the law does not prohibit it and there is no sanction.
What is the minimum tread depth?
The main grooves of a winter tyre must be at least 3.0 millimetres deep. At least five millimetres is recommended for winter driving, because grip falls away sharply below that.
Do tyres affect an insurance claim?
They can. If the tyres did not match the conditions, the insurer can cut compensation after a crash, and the wrong tyres also shift responsibility onto you in the assessment of fault.
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