Are studded tires legal in Vermont?

Vermont law sets no seasonal dates for studded tires. Vermont law does not restrict studded winter tires by season; the tire traction rule expressly preserves the right to use studs. 23 V.S.A. § 1092 reads: "This provision does not restrict the right of any person to use tires that are equipped with "studs" or "cleats," so-called, of a type designed for general use to facilitate travel in winter."

Vermont law sets no start or end date, so the conditions in the statute apply all year.

State officials may require chains on posted stretches of state highway in winter weather for vehicles over 26,000 pounds; the DMV says the only mandatory chain up area is Route 9 between the Wilmington and Bennington chain up sites. The statute reads: "The Secretary of Transportation, the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, or the Commissioner of Public Safety, or their designees, may require the use of tire chains on specified portions of State highways during periods of winter weather for vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of more than 26,000 pounds or gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of more than 26,000 pounds."

For the chain requirement, chains include link chains, cable chains, or another device attached to the tire, wheel or vehicle that adds traction on snow or ice.

Massachusetts, November 2 through April 30; New York, October 16 through April 30. Each state's page quotes its own statute.