Winter tyres from 1 November to 31 March only when conditions require: the calendar alone doesn't decide

Don’t decide when to change your tyres just by looking at the calendar or your neighbour’s car. Your departure time, route and the conditions on your return journey all affect what your tyres will encounter. This guide distinguishes between two things: when winter tyres are compulsory and when studded tyres are permitted. It focuses on passenger cars with a classification mass of no more than 3,500 kg, and on vans.

The winter-tyre requirement and the permitted period for studded tyres are separate rules

Under Finland’s Road Traffic Act, the passenger cars and vans covered by this guide must use winter tyres from the beginning of November to the end of March if the weather or road conditions require them. The arrival of 1 November alone therefore does not make winter tyres compulsory on a dry road without wintry conditions. What matters is the weather and road conditions encountered while driving.

Studded tyres, meanwhile, are permitted from 1 November to 31 March. They may also be used outside this period if the weather or road conditions require them. Using studded tyres during this period therefore does not require every street you drive on to be icy at that moment. In autumn before November and in spring after March, you need to consider the weather and road-condition requirement separately.

Non-studded winter tyres, also known as friction tyres, are not subject to the seasonal restriction on studs. You still need to assess whether your tyres are suitable for your driving and the season. It helps to distinguish the decision to change tyres from an assessment of their condition: a tyre labelled as a winter tyre does not solve a safety problem if it is worn or damaged.

In autumn, plan the change before a journey that may involve slippery conditions

Allow time to change your tyres before you need winter tyres for a commute or a longer journey. Don’t wait for lasting snow cover or weeks of slippery roads. Even a single slippery morning can coincide with the very journey you cannot postpone. If you intend to use studded tyres before 1 November, also make sure that the weather or road conditions justify their use.

Check the forecast for the route and your destination as well as your starting point. Driving in town in the afternoon and setting off early in the morning are different situations. On a long journey, the conditions may also change. Before leaving, check driving-condition warnings and the state of the roads; the day’s maximum air temperature alone does not tell you what conditions will be like throughout the journey.

The forecast helps with planning. Reassess if the weather changes or your departure time shifts. If your tyres are unsuitable for the expected conditions, arrange a tyre change before driving or change your travel plans. Simply driving more slowly should not be treated as a solution to using the wrong tyres in wintry conditions.

Three practical situations

A dry November afternoon in town. The calendar alone does not determine whether winter tyres are required. Remember to consider your return journey that evening and your drive the following morning too. Easy driving conditions today do not mean that the same assessment will hold for the entire week. Studded tyres are permitted during the November–March period.

An early start on a long journey in October. Check the different areas along your route and any warnings. If the conditions require studded tyres, you can use them before November. If you cannot arrange a tyre change in time and wintry conditions lie ahead, change your departure plans or mode of transport. Don’t wait until you reach a slippery stretch of road to find out how much grip your tyres have.

An April trip to an area with wintry conditions. The end of March does not, in itself, prohibit studded tyres. You may continue using them when the weather or road conditions require it. Assess the conditions for your return journey too. This is an exception concerning the use of studded tyres; the November–March winter-tyre requirement must not be described as applying all year round.

Trailers: check the towing vehicle and mass category too

When a passenger car or van covered by this guide tows a trailer with a classification mass or coupling mass of more than 750 kg but no more than 3,500 kg, the trailer is also subject to the weather-dependent winter-tyre requirement from November to March. To establish the applicable requirement, you need to check the statutory definitions of mass and the details of your vehicle combination. Don’t judge whether the rule applies solely by the trailer’s current load.

In addition, a trailer towed by a car equipped with studded tyres must use winter tyres if its classification mass is more than 750 kg but no more than 3,500 kg. This alone does not mean that the trailer must have studs. Check the tyres on the entire vehicle combination before setting off. Requirements for heavier vehicles and other vehicle categories must be checked separately; passenger-car guidance cannot be applied to them directly.

A foreign-registered passenger car or van in Finland

When driving in Finland, the winter-tyre requirements for the vehicle categories covered by this guide also apply to foreign-registered vehicles. Registration in another country therefore does not remove the requirement that applies in Finland. If you import a car or drive one into Finland, check whether its tyres are suitable before travelling. For a cross-border journey, you also need to check the rules in the other countries along your route separately.

What should you ask before the vehicle inspection?

If you are unsure about the tyre requirement, tell the inspection station your vehicle’s category and its registered mass information, as well as the details of any trailer. Distinguish a question about when tyres may be used from a question about their condition. This will help you get an answer that applies to your particular vehicle and situation.

As well as checking your tyres, go through the vehicle inspection checklist. You can find each station’s services and contact details on SK’s station pages. Even with winter tyres, adjust your speed and following distance to visibility and road grip.