Tire Chain Laws

Alabama

Code of Alabama 1975

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Alaska

Alaska statute section 28.35.155

DMV FAQ's about studded tires.

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Arizona

Arizona revised statutes
section 28-958 tire equipment restrictions.

Need more info?
Visit ADOT's Winter Driving Tips.

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Arkansas

Arkansas Code Title 27 Transportation

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California

California vehicle code

Need more information?

Visit Chain Requirements & FAQs.

VisitWinter Maintenance & Operations

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Colorado

Colorado
New!! Chain up Tips from CO Department of Transportation

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Connecticut

General Statutes of Connecticut

Tire chain usage is permitted for hazardous weather or other related incidents only, but may not damage the highway surface.  Tire chains are only permitted between November 15 and April 30.

Connecticut DMV FAQs.

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Delaware

Delaware Motor Vehicles Code

Studded tires are permitted from October 15 - April 15 and tire chains of reasonable proportions may be used upon any vehicle when required for safety because of snow, ice or other conditions tending to cause a vehicle to slide or skid. ... There are times when chains are required.

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Florida

Florida motor vehicle statutes

Detail: 316.299 rough surfaced wheels prohibited.

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Georgia

Georgia Driver Manual 2008 page 84

Georgia's Commercial Driver's Manual page 2-26

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Hawaii

Hawaii motor vehicle statutes 291-33.

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Idaho

Idaho motor vehicle statutes

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Illinois

See Illinois compiled motor vehicle statutes

section 12‑401.

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Indiana

Indiana Motor Vehicle code

Chapter 18 tires (IC 9-19-18).

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Iowa

321.442 projections on wheels

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Kansas

Kansas motor vehicle statutes

8-1742 restrictions as to tire equipment.

Permissible upon any vehicle when required for safety because of snow, ice or other conditions tending to cause a vehicle to skid.

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Kentucky

Kentucky revised motor vehicle statutes

190 chains and lugs on wheels.

  Permissible when icy road conditions exist. Where chains are used on rubber-tired vehicles, the cross chains shall be not more than three-fourths (3/4) of an inch in thickness or diameter, and shall be spaced not more than ten (10) inches apart, around the circumference of the tires.

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Louisiana

Louisiana law

RS 32:362 restrictions as to tire equipment.

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Maine

Maine motor vehicle statutes

§1919 studded tires

§1917 tires and wheels.

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Maryland

Maryland Motor Vehicle Code, studded tire exceptions in section 22-405.2

chains may be required inMaryland if a snow emergency is declared. ... Chains, of "reasonable proportion," can be used for safety because of snow, ice or other conditions tending to cause a vehicle to skid.

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Massachusetts

Massachusetts Motor Vehicle Statutes section 16 offensive or illegal operation of motor vehicles.

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Michigan

Information for traction devices: Section 257.710

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Minnesota

Minnesota statute, Chapter 169 traffic regulations, 169.72 tire surface; metal studs.

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/2017/cite/169.72

Permitted when road conditions (ice and snow) require tire chains. Studded pneumatic tires are not allowed on Minnesota registered vehicles.

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Mississippi

Mississippi code

§ 63-7-67

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Missouri

Tire chain usage is permitted for hazardous weather or other related incidents only, but may not damage the highway surface.

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Montana

Tire and Tire Chain restrictions

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Nebraska

Nebraska Statute
Section 60-6,250

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Nevada

Nevada Administrative Code (NAC) 484.230 - 484.245on Traction Devices, Tire Chains and Snow Tires.

Traction device requirements. (DOT) Chains or snow tires are required when posted on signs

Studded snow tires legal from Oct. 1 to April 30.

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New Hampshire

New Hampshire statutes, chapter 266 equipment of motor vehicles, Section 266:50 Vehicle Tires.

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New Jersey

New Jersey statutes,

Title 39 motor vehicles and traffic regulation.

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New Mexico

New Mexico statutory chapters

§ 66-3-847.

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New York

Laws of New York

Title 3, article 9 equipment of motor vehicles and motorcycles, § 375 equipment, 35 tires.

https://dmv.ny.gov/press-release/press-release-10-14-2016 

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North Carolina

North Carolina general statutes, chapter 20 motor vehicles, article 3, §20‑122 restrictions as to tire equipment.

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North Dakota

North Dakota Century Code

http://www.nd.gov/ 

Title 39 motor vehicles, 39-21-40

Tire chains may be used when necessary. Pneumatic tires with metal stubs projecting to 1/16 inch above the tread surface may be used between October 15 and April 15.

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Ohio

Ohio revised vehicle code

No person shall operate any motor vehicle, other than a public safety vehicle or school bus, that is equipped with studded tires on any street or highway in this state, except during the period extending from the first day of November of each year through the fifteenth day of April of the succeeding year

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma egislative Information System Statutes

§47-12-405.

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Oregon

Road Conditions.

Oregon Administrative 734-017-0005

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Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Vehicle Code 75

§4525

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Rhode Island

Rhode Island
Chapter 31-23
Section 31-23-20

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South Carolina

South Carolina code of laws
Title 56 motor vehicles
Chapter 5
Article 35
Section 56-5-5040

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South Dakota

South Dakota Codified Laws
Title 32 Motor Vehicles
Chapter 32-19

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Tennessee

Tennessee Code
55-9-106
Studded tires (a) No person shall use a tire on a vehicle moved on a highway which has on its periphery any block, stud, flange, cleat, or spike or any other protuberances of a material other than rubber which project beyond the tread of the traction surface of the tire, except as otherwise provided in this section. (b) A person may operate on a highway a vehicle equipped with a tire which has imbedded in it wire or other material for improving traction on snow and ice during the period of October 1 through April 15 of each year. Such a tire shall be so constructed that the percentage of wire or other material in contact with the roadway does not exceed, after the first one thousand (1,000) miles of use or operation of any such tire, the wire or other material in contact with the roadway shall not exceed twenty percent (20%) of the total tire area in contact with the roadway. The studded tires allowed by this subsection (b) shall not be used at any time on a vehicle with a maximum gross weight of more than none thousand pounds (9,000 lbs.) , unless such a vehicle is a school bus or an emergency vehicle. (c) It is permissible to use tire chains of reasonable proportions on any vehicle when required for safety because of snow, ice, or other condition tending to cause a vehicle to skid.

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Texas

Texas Statutes

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Utah

Utah Admin Code Rule R920-6 Snow Tire and Chain Requirements.

https://www.utah.gov/index.html

Vehicles likely to encounter conditions requiring chains must carry sets for at least one driving wheel on each side. Signs will designate when chains are required. When any designated highway is restricted, no vehicle or motor vehicle shall be allowed or permitted the use of the highway, during the period between November 1 and March 31, unless: 1. Said vehicle is equipped with either: a. Steel link chains or have chains in possession; or b. Mounted snow tires; or c. Elastomeric tire chains, designed for use with radial tires. 2. Four-wheel drive vehicles must have a minimum of two mounted snow tires to meet the requirements. 3. Radial tires without snow tread do not meet the requirements.

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Vermont

Vermont Statutes, Title 23 Motor Vehicles, Chapter 13 Operation of Vehicles

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Virginia

Chapter 10 Motor Vehicle & Equipment Safety
46.2-1044

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Washington

West Virginia

West Virginia Tire Chain Code

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Wisconsin

WI Statute 347.45. Tire equipment.

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