Studded tyres: when are they allowed in Sweden, Norway and Finland?
Studded tyres give the best grip on ice, but they wear the road, raise dust and are noisy, so Sweden, Norway and Finland only allow them during part of the year. The dates below are for the 2026/2027 winter and are calculated from the current rules. In all three countries you may also use studs outside these dates when there is, or is expected to be, ice or snow on the road.
Studded tyre dates for the 2026/2027 winter
| Country or region | Studs allowed from | Studs allowed until |
|---|---|---|
| Sweden | 1 October 2026 | 15 April 2027 |
| Norway: Nordland, Troms and Finnmark | 16 October 2026 | 30 April 2027 |
| Norway: rest of the country | 1 November 2026 | 4 April 2027 |
| Finland | 1 November 2026 | 31 March 2027 |
Outside these dates, studs are only allowed when the road conditions require them. The police decide in each case whether that is so.
Sweden
In Sweden, studded tyres are allowed from 1 October to 15 April. Outside that period they may be used if there is, or may be, winter road conditions — snow, ice, slush or frost on any part of the road. This is separate from the winter tyre requirement: from 1 December to 31 March, cars must have winter tyres (studded or studless) whenever winter road conditions exist.
Some cities ban studded tyres on certain streets to reduce particle pollution — Stockholm is the best-known example. Check local signs if you drive in city centres.
Norway
Norway has two periods. In Nordland, Troms and Finnmark, studded tyres are allowed from 16 October to 30 April. In the rest of the country, the period runs from 1 November until the first Sunday after Easter Monday, so the end date moves with Easter. In 2027, Easter Sunday falls on 28 March, which makes 4 April 2027 the last day.
Outside these periods, studs and chains are allowed when the road conditions require them. Norway has no fixed winter tyre date, but your tyres must always suit the conditions. Some municipalities charge a fee for driving on studded tyres, so check the rules where you live.
Finland
Since June 2020, the Finnish Traffic Act allows studded tyres from 1 November to 31 March. At other times they may be used if the weather or road conditions require it — for example, an early snowfall in October or a late cold spell in April. Before 2020, the studded tyre season ended at Easter; that rule no longer applies.
Winter tyres themselves are required from 1 November to 31 March when the weather or road conditions call for them, with a tread depth of at least 3 mm.
Studded or studless winter tyres?
Studded tyres are clearly better on glare ice and packed snow, especially in the north and on untreated roads. Studless (friction) winter tyres are quieter, can be used outside the stud season, and work well in cities where roads are ploughed and salted. If most of your driving is in a city in southern Sweden, southern Norway or southern Finland, studless tyres are often enough; if you drive on icy country roads or in the north, studs give a real safety margin.
When does the weather actually call for winter tyres?
The legal dates tell you how long you may use studs — not when you need winter tyres. That depends on the weather where you live. The TyreSwitch calculator combines the forecast for your location with climate data from recent years and shows when changing to winter tyres makes sense. Read more in our guides on when to change to winter tyres and when to change back to summer tyres, and see the winter tyre laws in Europe.
Sources
The dates come from the Swedish Transport Agency (Transportstyrelsen), the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (Statens vegvesen) and the Finnish Traffic Act (tieliikennelaki 729/2018). This page is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change, so check the official sources before you travel.