Are studded tires legal in New York?
New York allows studded tires from October 16 through April 30.
The studded tire rule in New York
Allowed in season
New York allows studded tires from October 16 through April 30.
New York bans studded tires from May 1 through October 15, so they are legal from October 16 through April 30 if the studs meet size limits.
no vehicle equipped with such tires, other than school buses and state or municipally-owned vehicles, may operate on a public highway during the period from the first day of May to the fifteenth day of October, inclusive.Equipment, N.Y. Vehicle and Traffic Law 375(35-a), read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
Studded tire season 2026-27 in New York
The dashed line marks today.
Exceptions to the New York rule
School buses and state or municipally owned vehicles may use studs year round.
except that no vehicle equipped with such tires, other than school buses and state or municipally-owned vehicles, may operate on a public highway during the period from the first day of May to the fifteenth day of October, inclusive.N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law 375(35-a). Read it at the source
Studs may be no more than three eighths of an inch across including the casing and protrude no more than three thirty seconds of an inch.
metal type studs, the diameter of which studs inclusive of the stud casing does not exceed three-eighths of an inch and which do not protrude beyond the tread surface of such tires more than three thirty-seconds of an inchN.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law 375(35-a). Read it at the source
Studded tire windows in neighbouring states
The dashed line marks today.
- VermontNo seasonal dates
- MassachusettsAllowed in seasonNov 2 to Apr 30
- ConnecticutAllowed in seasonNov 15 to Apr 30
- New JerseyAllowed in seasonNov 15 to Apr 1
- PennsylvaniaAllowed in seasonNov 1 to Apr 15
New York studded tire questions
Compiled September 22, 2026 from Equipment, N.Y. Vehicle and Traffic Law 375(35-a) and the other sources linked beside each quote. Statutes change between winters, and a transportation department can extend a window where its statute allows, so the linked source is the one to check before a trip. Every state is in the studded tire laws by state table.