If you are travelling to or through Sweden with a vehicle such as a
passenger car or heavy truck, you need to make sure the tyres on
your vehicle are right. During the winter, the following rules
apply:
Requirements regarding winter tyres December 1st to March
31st
Passenger car class 1*, passenger car class 2 (house cars) with
a total weight of 3,5 tonnes maximum, light weight lorries or light
weight buses, are required to have winter tyres or equal equipment
during the period December 1st to March 31st, if the road
conditions demand it. If the vehicle also carries a trailer, the
rule also applies for the trailer.
* Passenger car class 1 means vehicles registered as a passenger
car not belonging to passenger car class 2.
Foreign and Swedish passenger cars and light weight lorries
travelling to and from Sweden are also comprised by the Swedish
rules regarding winter tyres. Such vehicles need to have winter
tyres with a tread depth of at least 3 millimetres during the
time that the rule applies, which is during winter road conditions
between December 1st to March 31st.
Exceptions from the requirements
A vehicle is allowed to drive in the following cases, if it
could be operated without the risk of endangering the traffic
security:
- When test driving or towing a vehicle to reparation or similar
purposes.
- Driving the shortest and most suitable way to and from the
closest motor vehicle inspection site.
- Driving with a vehicle sales license (green registration sign)
the shortest most suitable way from harbour, railway station,
manufacturing plant, repair shop, storage premises or similar, to
other similar premises or garages. With a vehicle sales license it
is also allowed to drive the vehicle for demonstration or sales
purposes.
- If the tyres (according to the record in the Swedish road
traffic registry) has a rim diameter of 10 inches or less.
Tread depth during winter road conditions
During winter road conditions between December 1st to March
31st, the tyres must have a tread depth of at least 3
millimetres on passenger cars, light weight lorries and light
weight buses with a total weight of 3.5 tonnes maximum. Trailers
hauled by those vehicles also need tyres with that tread
depth.
Heavy trucks, heavy buses and passenger cars class 2 (house
cars) with a total weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes must have tyres with
a tread depth of 5 millimetres or more during winter road
conditions between December 1st to March 31st. The requirement goes
for all the tyres on the vehicle, but not for trailers attached to
the vehicle.
Studded tyres allowed between October 1st to April 15th
It is allowed to use studded tyres between October 1st to April
15th. Studded tyres are allowed during other times if winter road
conditions apply or are expected. If the vehicle has studded tyres,
any trailer attached to the vehicle must also have studded tyres,
if winter road conditions apply. If the passenger car has
non-studded tyres, the trailer can have either studded or
non-studded winter tyres.
A mix of studded and non-studded tyres is not allowed on the
vehicle.
A definition of winter tyres
Winter tyres can be studded or non-studded so called friction
tyres. The tyres must be
- especially manufactured for winter road conditions and
- marked with M+S, M-S, M.S., M&S, MS or Mud and Snow.
Note: There are occurrences with tyres marked with M and S that
are not especially manufactured for winter road conditions, but for
terrain driving.
As you can’t tell from looking at the tyres if
they’re especially manufactured for winter road conditions,
the Scandinavian Tire and Rim Organization, STRO, and
Däckbranschens Informationsråd have created lists of
allowed winter tyres.
Summer tyres have a mixture of rubber that makes them too hard
during cold weather. That’s why you should use winter tyres
when the temperature is around the freezing point and below.
Winter road conditions
When there is ice, snow, slush or frost on any part of the road,
winter road conditions apply.
The best tyres at the back
The tyres with the best pattern depth or the tyres that has the
best grip on the road should be mounted at the back on the vehicle
to decrease the risk of sliding when breaking or taking turns. The
tyres with the highest studs should be mounted at the back. This
goes for both front wheel and back wheel steered cars.
Storage of tyres
Store your tyres in a cold, dry and dark place.
Heavy vehicles and winter tyres
Heavy vehicles are not required to use winter tyres, but should
have tyres with the right tread depth (5 millimeters). The
Swedish Transport Agency still recommend the use of winter tyres
during winter road conditions.