Vehicle · Studded tires
Are Studded Tires Legal in New York?
Whether studded snow tires are legal in New York, the months they are allowed if the rule is seasonal, who is exempt, and the penalty for running them out of season. Cited to the statute.
What the studded tire law says in New York
The core rule, the season window if there is one, and who the law exempts.
| What the law says | What it means |
|---|---|
| Legal October 16 to April 30 | Vehicle and Traffic Law section 375(35) bars metal studs on public highways from May 1 through October 15. That leaves October 16 to April 30 as the stretch when a passenger car may run studded tires. |
| Stud size limits | A metal stud may not exceed three-eighths of an inch in diameter and may not protrude beyond the tread surface more than three thirty-seconds of an inch, with the metal touching the road held to a small share of the tire contact area. |
| Who is exempt | What it means |
|---|---|
| School buses and public vehicles | School buses and vehicles owned by the state or a municipal corporation are exempt from the May 1 to October 15 bar, so they may run studded tires outside the general season. |
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps for running studded tires within the law in New York. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Fit them once the season opens
You may put studded tires on for the road from October 16. Plan the swap around the middle of October if winter weather is coming.
- Take them off by April 30
Studded tires must be off the public highway by May 1. Swap back to your regular tires at the end of April to stay within the season.
- Confirm stud size if installed by a shop
Passenger-car studded snow tires are built to the size limits, but confirm the three-eighths-inch and three thirty-seconds-inch figures if you have studs installed separately.
If you were cited over studded tires, a local traffic attorney or public defender can explain how the charge is handled and whether an exemption applies to you.
→ New York State Department of Motor VehiclesThis is general legal information, not legal advice. Season dates and exemptions can change, so confirm your situation against the statute before winter.
What drivers in New York get wrong about studded tires
New York allows studded tires, but keeps them to the colder half of the year. Vehicle and Traffic Law section 375, subdivision 35, sets the terms. A tire may carry metal studs whose diameter does not exceed three-eighths of an inch and that do not stick out past the tread more than three thirty-seconds of an inch, with the metal touching the road held to a small share of the contact area. The season is the key part. A vehicle with metal studs may not run on a public highway from May 1 through October 15. That leaves October 16 to April 30 as the legal stretch for studded tires. School buses and state or city-owned vehicles are exempt from the off-season bar. The reason for the calendar is road wear, since studs bite into bare pavement in warm months. Fit studded tires once the season opens in mid-October and take them off by the end of April, and a passenger car stays within the law.
Common questions
Are studded tires legal in New York?
They are legal seasonally. Vehicle and Traffic Law section 375(35) permits studded tires from October 16 to April 30. They are barred on public highways from May 1 through October 15.
When can you use studded tires in New York?
From October 16 to April 30. Metal studs may not be run on a public highway during the May 1 to October 15 period.
When do studded tires have to come off in New York?
By May 1. State law bars metal studs on public highways from the first day of May through the fifteenth day of October, so remove them by the end of April.
Are there stud size limits in New York?
Yes. A metal stud may not exceed three-eighths of an inch in diameter and may not protrude beyond the tread more than three thirty-seconds of an inch.
Are school buses exempt from the studded tire season in New York?
Yes. School buses and vehicles owned by the state or a municipal corporation are exempt from the May 1 to October 15 bar and may run studded tires outside the general season.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.