Are studded tires legal in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin law bars studded tires, with narrow exceptions.
The studded tire rule in Wisconsin
Barred
Wisconsin law bars studded tires, with narrow exceptions.
Wisconsin bans studded tires for ordinary cars; only emergency vehicles, school buses, mail delivery vehicles and out of state cars passing through for up to 30 days may use them, from November 15 through April 1.
No person shall operate on a highway any vehicle, including farm tractors, implements of husbandry, animal-drawn vehicles and road machinery, if such vehicle has on the periphery of any of its tires any block, stud, flange, cleat, spike or other protuberance of any material other than rubber which projects beyond the tread of the traction surface of the tireTire equipment, Wis. Stat. 347.45, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
Exceptions to the Wisconsin rule
Studded tires are limited to emergency vehicles, school buses, mail delivery vehicles and out of state cars passing through for no more than 30 days.
Such tires may be used only on authorized emergency vehicles, school buses, vehicles used to deliver mail and automobiles with out-of-state registrations and then only if such automobile is in the course of passing through this state for a period of not more than 30 days.Wis. Stat. 347.45(2); Wis. Admin. Code Trans 306.01. Read it at the source
For those vehicles, WisDOT rule sets the season as November 15 through April 1, both days included.
Tungsten carbide studded tires may be used on vehicles specified in this subsection annually from the 15th day of November each year through the 1st day of April, both dates inclusive.Wis. Stat. 347.45(2); Wis. Admin. Code Trans 306.01. Read it at the source
Studs may project no more than an eighth of an inch.
Such studs shall not project more than one-eighth inch beyond the tread surface of the tire.Wis. Stat. 347.45(2); Wis. Admin. Code Trans 306.01. Read it at the source
The authority maintaining a highway may issue a special permit for a vehicle otherwise barred.
The authority in charge of maintenance of the highway in question may, in its discretion, issue a special permit authorizing operation upon such highway of a vehicle the operation of which would otherwise be prohibited under this section.Wis. Stat. 347.45(2); Wis. Admin. Code Trans 306.01. Read it at the source
Other traction devices
Tires with embedded wire or wire coils for ice and snow are allowed within limits on how much wire touches the road.
A pneumatic tire may have embedded in it wire or wire coils for improving traction on ice and snow, but such tire shall be so constructed that the percentage of wire or wire coils in contact with the roadway does not exceed, after the first 1,000 miles of use or operation, 5 percent of the total tire area in contact with the roadway.Tire equipment, Wis. Stat. 347.45. Read it at the source
Wisconsin’s chain law
Wisconsin has no chain requirement law; chains of reasonable size are permitted when snow or ice makes skidding likely.
Tire chains of reasonable proportions may be used on any vehicle when required for safety because of snow, ice or other conditions tending to cause a vehicle to skid.Wis. Stat. 347.45(2)(b), read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
Wisconsin studded tire questions
Compiled September 22, 2026 from Tire equipment, Wis. Stat. 347.45 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.