Winter tyres, studs and chains in Norway — what the law requires
No fixed winter-tyre date for cars, but 3 mm of tread from 1 November. The Norwegian rules on winter tyres, studs and chains for cars, campers and motorhomes.
The short answer (status: October 2026): for a car or camper up to 3,500 kg, Norway has no date from which winter tyres are compulsory. What the law does require is grip suited to the road (winter tyres, studs or chains if needed) and a tread depth of at least 3 mm from 1 November to the first Sunday after Easter Monday. In Nordland, Troms and Finnmark, that period runs from 16 October to 30 April. Fixed winter-tyre and chain dates apply only to vehicles over 3,500 kg, and a motorhome up to 7,500 kg is exempt from both. Tyres checked before you leave save money and the holiday.
The rules at a glance
| Car or camper up to 3,500 kg | Motorhome 3,501–7,500 kg | Other vehicles over 3,500 kg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum tread, winter period | 3 mm | 3 mm | 5 mm |
| Minimum tread, rest of the year | 1.6 mm | 1.6 mm | 1.6 mm |
| Marked winter tyres, 15 Nov–31 Mar | no fixed requirement | exempt | required |
| Chains on board, winter period | no fixed requirement | exempt | at least three |
| Studs allowed without special conditions | winter period | winter period | winter period |
| Duty to have enough grip, all year | yes | yes | yes |
The winter period is 1 November to the first Sunday after Easter Monday, or 16 October to 30 April in Nordland, Troms and Finnmark. For the 2026/27 season that is 1 November 2026 to 4 April 2027 in the south. Oslo publishes exactly these dates for its studded-tyre season.
Grip comes first
The general rule in the regulation on the use of vehicles (forskrift om bruk av kjøretøy, § 1-4) is that a vehicle must not be used without adequate grip for the road conditions, if necessary by using winter tyres with or without studs, chains or similar. Statens vegvesen puts it plainly: you cannot use summer tyres on winter roads, because they do not have enough grip on ice and snow. This duty applies all year, so a cold snap in May or September counts as well.
The regulation makes no exception for foreign-registered vehicles. Where it means Norwegian-registered vehicles only, it says so: the fire extinguisher rule in the next section, § 1-5, applies to "norskregistrerte kjøretøy".
Tread depth
The law measures tread depth in the main grooves, across the middle three-quarters of the tread and around the whole tyre, not at the wear indicators. In the winter period the minimum is 3 mm for vehicles up to 3,500 kg, 5 mm above 3,500 kg, and 3 mm for a motorhome up to 7,500 kg. For the rest of the year it is 1.6 mm. The same tread rules apply to a trailer as to the vehicle pulling it.
What counts as a winter tyre
A winter tyre is one the manufacturer has marked "Mud and snow" (M+S, MS, M&S, M-S) or "3 peak mountain snowflake" (3PMSF, the Alpine symbol). From 15 November to 31 March, vehicles over 3,500 kg must have 3PMSF tyres on the drive axles and front steering axles, and M+S or 3PMSF on the other axles. A motorhome with a permitted total weight up to 7,500 kg is expressly exempt. A trailer over 3,500 kg needs M+S or 3PMSF tyres on all axles over the same dates.
Studded tyres
Studded tyres must not be used from the first Monday after Easter Monday to 31 October (1 May to 15 October in Nordland, Troms and Finnmark), unless the driving conditions make it necessary. On a car up to 3,500 kg, studs go on every wheel; the one alternative is studs on one axle and chains on the others. Above 3,500 kg, the rule is per axle. Only winter tyres may carry studs, and every tyre should have roughly the same number of studs. Non-studded winter tyres may be used all year.
The studded-tyre charge in Oslo: in Oslo you need an electronic permit, linked to your registration number, to drive on studs in the season from 1 November 2026 to 4 April 2027. Up to 3,500 kg it costs NOK 35 a day, NOK 450 a month or NOK 1,400 a season; above 3,500 kg the prices double. Driving without a permit costs NOK 750. You buy it in the app, online or at a machine. Oslo also accepts a valid permit from Bergen or Trondheim.
Snow chains
Vehicles over 3,500 kg must carry chains whenever snow or ice on a public road can be expected, and in any case during the winter period. The rule is at least three chains: one for a front wheel and two for the drive wheels. The chains must be made of metal or steel and fit the vehicle's wheels. A motorhome up to 7,500 kg is exempt from carrying chains, but if it does carry them, they must meet the same requirements. Chains, like studs, must not be used outside the winter period unless conditions make it necessary.
For a car under 3,500 kg there is no carrying requirement. The grip duty above still applies, so on a snowy mountain road chains can be the way to meet it.
What it costs to get it wrong
The fixed penalties are set out in § 9 of the regulation on penalty fees (FOR-2021-03-26-963):
| Offence | Up to 7,500 kg | Over 7,500 kg |
|---|---|---|
| Tread below the legal minimum, or no winter tyres where they are required (per tyre) | NOK 1,000 | NOK 2,000 |
| Missing a required chain (per chain) | NOK 750 | NOK 1,200 |
| Studs or chains used when not allowed (one offence) | NOK 1,000 | NOK 1,000 |
Over 7,500 kg with a trailer over 3,500 kg, a missing chain costs NOK 1,500. If the driver is not the registered owner, the two are jointly liable for these fees, and anyone who has the vehicle under a rental or leasing agreement is treated as the owner.
Rental cars and rental campers
Because the renter shares liability for the fee, it is worth asking the rental company before you pay, in writing, which tyres are fitted (M+S or 3PMSF marking, studs or not), how deep the tread is, and, for a vehicle over 3,500 kg, whether it is registered as a motorhome (bobil) and whether chains are included. We have no official source on what Norwegian rental companies fit as standard, so check each vehicle rather than assume.
Before an early or late trip
Mountain roads can see snow well after they open. When Trollstigen opened on 27 April 2026, the county's notice reminded drivers that there was still snow in the mountains and that cars needed tyres suited to the conditions.
When each high road opens is covered in When do Norway's mountain roads open?, and the other rules that surprise visitors in Driving in Norway.
What this article leaves out
Our Norway camper handbook covers the winter law in full, including the three places where it treats a motorhome differently, along with the roads, passes, convoys, gas, water and the questions to ask a rental company before you pay.
FAQ
Are winter tyres compulsory in Norway?
Not on a fixed date for a car or camper up to 3,500 kg. You must have enough grip for the road, and at least 3 mm of tread in the winter period. Fixed winter-tyre dates (15 November to 31 March) apply to vehicles over 3,500 kg, except motorhomes up to 7,500 kg.
Do I need snow chains in Norway?
Vehicles over 3,500 kg must carry them in the winter period. Motorhomes up to 7,500 kg and vehicles up to 3,500 kg are not required to carry them.
Do Norway's tyre rules apply to foreign cars?
Yes. The regulation makes no exception for foreign-registered vehicles.
Are all-season tyres allowed?
The law defines a winter tyre by its marking. A tyre marked M+S or 3PMSF counts as a winter tyre, whatever it is sold as.
Sources
- lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/1990-01-25-92 · accessed 7 October 2026
- oslo.kommune.no/gate-transport-og-parkering/piggdekkgebyr · accessed 7 October 2026
- vegvesen.no/en/vehicles/own-and-maintain/tyre-requirements · accessed 7 October 2026
- lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2021-03-26-963 · accessed 7 October 2026
- fjord.kommune.no/aktuelt/trollstigen-opnar-27-april.71621.aspx · accessed 7 October 2026
