Winter tyres: calendar windows, tread depth, and markings in five countries

Winter tyre requirements across the region aren’t harmonised, and that goes beyond the numbers to the underlying principle: in some places the obligation is tied to the calendar, in others purely to the weather outside. Here’s how the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Poland, and Slovakia each handle it, parameter by parameter.

In short. In the Czech Republic, winter tyres are mandatory from 1 November to 31 March whenever there’s snow, ice, or frost on the road; minimum tread depth is 4 mm. Germany and Austria (for passenger cars) have no calendar dates at all — only a weather condition, applicable in any month of the year. Poland has no separate law on winter tyres.

Comparison table

Czech Republic and Slovakia: similar logic, different numbers

Both laws frame the obligation the same way: a calendar window plus the actual or expected state of the road. The Czech window is wider — 1 November to 31 March — while Slovakia’s starts two weeks later, on 15 November. The tread threshold differs too: Czech law requires 4.0 mm for a tyre to legally count as winter, Slovak law only 3.0 mm. A tyre that’s legally winter in Slovakia formally falls short of the Czech threshold.

Both countries recognise the old M+S marking on equal footing with the certified 3PMSF — there’s no strict requirement for the Alpine snowflake symbol specifically.

A violation in the Czech Republic is handled in block (on-the-spot) proceedings and carries a fine of up to 2,000 crowns; if the driver declines that procedure, the case moves to formal proceedings with a higher ceiling. Slovakia’s structure is similar: €50 on the spot, or up to €100 in administrative proceedings. The money isn’t really the point — what matters more is that both laws frame the obligation through the combination of calendar and weather, not the calendar date alone: a formally dry road on 5 December, with no snow or ice, creates no offence even inside the calendar window.

Germany: weather only, and only 3PMSF since 2018

The German approach is fundamentally different: there are no calendar dates in the law at all. The obligation is tied purely to weather conditions — black ice, slush, hoar frost, or ice on the road — and applies in any month of the year, including, in theory, July during an unusual snowfall.

The marking requirement is stricter than among Germany’s neighbours. For tyres made from 1 January 2018 onward, the Alpine symbol (3PMSF) specifically is mandatory — the old self-declared M+S marking without that symbol is no longer recognised. The transition period for tyres made before that date with the old M+S marking ended on 30 September 2024. A car legally shod with M+S but no 3PMSF at home in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, or Austria can be considered improperly equipped on entering Germany in the relevant weather.

Austria: passenger cars and trucks regulated differently

For passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, Austria follows the same logic as Germany — a purely weather-based obligation, with no calendar dates. Trucks and buses, by contrast, are regulated strictly: from 1 November to 15 April (15 March for buses), the obligation applies regardless of the weather on the road.

The tread threshold for passenger cars is 4 mm on radial tyres, 5 mm on diagonal ones; the bar is higher for commercial vehicles. The marking rules recognise both M+S and 3PMSF — there’s no national requirement for the Alpine symbol specifically, unlike in Germany.

It’s also worth knowing about the civil-law consequences. Even where unsuitable tyres don’t by themselves constitute an administrative offence, an insurer is entitled to factor in the use of tyres unsuited to the conditions when assessing gross negligence after an accident on snow or ice — that’s a civil risk, separate from a fine, and it isn’t removed simply because there was no formal breach of the law. For a car with permanent all-wheel drive, which is typically what people choose for a winter route anyway, the question comes down not to the letter of the law but to actual grip on the specific stretch of road.

Poland: the only country in the region without a dedicated law

Unlike all four of its neighbours, Poland has no legally established period or marking requirement for winter tyres at all. The only rule is a general requirement that tyres suit the driving conditions, plus a local road sign, C-18, requiring chains on a specific stretch.

A driver used to the calendar-based rules of the Czech Republic or Slovakia may wrongly assume a similar rule exists in Poland — it simply doesn’t. That doesn’t mean winter tyres are useless or out of place in Poland — ordinary driving practice in snow and ice is the same as anywhere else — it’s just not backed by a dedicated law with specific dates and tread figures.

Chains: local everywhere, with one partial exception

None of the five countries has a general requirement to carry or use chains “in the mountains” as such for a passenger car. The obligation is tied strictly to a specific road sign on a specific stretch — C 5a in the Czech Republic, “Schneekettenpflicht” in Austria, C-18 in Poland.

The one partial exception is Austria, where trucks and buses must carry (not necessarily use) chains during the calendar period from 1 November to 15 April, regardless of whether a sign is posted. For a passenger car, having chains in the boot changes nothing where no sign requires them — using them outside a marked stretch isn’t prohibited, but it isn’t required by law in any of the five countries either.

Common misconceptions

“If a tyre has M+S, it’s legal everywhere in the region.” True for the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Austria, but not for Germany: since the transition period ended on 30 September 2024, tyres made after 1 January 2018 with only M+S and no 3PMSF no longer satisfy the winter requirements of the StVO.

M+S and 3PMSF aren’t the same thing in substance. M+S is a manufacturer’s own self-declared marking, with no mandatory snow-grip test behind it. 3PMSF is awarded only to tyres that have passed a braking test on packed snow under UN Regulation No. 117. A tyre can, in principle, carry M+S without meeting the threshold needed for 3PMSF — the markings aren’t equivalent in actual grip, even where they’re legally treated as equal.

“Driving without winter tyres in dry frost is already an offence.” No, not in Germany or Austria for passenger cars: the offence is driving in actual winter conditions on the road — snow, ice, slush, frost. Dry, cold weather with no precipitation or ice on the surface doesn’t constitute a formal offence.

“Chains are mandatory in every mountain area.” The obligation is tied to a specific sign on a specific stretch, not to terrain as such.

What changes, and how to check

Transition periods for tyre markings are reviewed at EU and national transport-ministry level, while regional requirements are set at the level of federal states and voivodeships. Before a winter trip through several countries, check the current guidance from the relevant Ministerstvo dopravy rather than relying on memory of last season’s rules — especially at the Czech–German border, where marking requirements diverge the most.

Basic traffic rules within the Czech Republic itself — speed, alcohol, equipment — are covered separately in the article on Czech traffic rules; the winter requirement is mentioned there in a single line precisely because the full breakdown is here.

For mountain routes out of Prague, tread and marking questions matter most in winter: a detailed breakdown of the route to the Krkonoše mountains and Špindlerův Mlýn, including planned roadworks on road I/14, is covered in the catalogue section. A route like that usually calls for an all-wheel-drive car — for example, the BMW X5 M or the Mercedes-AMG G 63 — current rental terms are on the model page in the catalogue.

Frequently asked questions

Are winter tyres mandatory in the Czech Republic all year round? No, only from 1 November to 31 March, and only if there’s snow, ice, or frost on the road, or the weather is heading that way — not as an unconditional calendar requirement.

What’s the minimum tread depth for a winter tyre in the Czech Republic? 4.0 mm — that’s the specific threshold that makes a tyre legally winter. The general statutory minimum for any tyre is lower, at 1.6 mm.

Is the M+S marking recognised in Germany? Only for tyres made before 1 January 2018, and only until the transition period ended on 30 September 2024. Newer tyres require the Alpine symbol (3PMSF).

Is there a winter tyre requirement in Poland? There’s no dedicated law on winter tyres in Poland. Only a general requirement that tyres suit the driving conditions applies, plus a local sign, C-18, for chains on specific stretches.

Are winter tyres required in Austria by calendar date? Not for passenger cars — the obligation is purely weather-based and isn’t tied to dates. A calendar period applies only to trucks and buses.

What’s the difference between M+S and 3PMSF? M+S is a manufacturer’s self-declared marking with no mandatory test behind it. 3PMSF is awarded only after a braking test on packed snow — a stricter, verifiable standard.

Are chains mandatory for a winter trip to the mountains? Only where a specific road sign requires them. None of the five countries has a general requirement based on terrain.