European laws regarding winter tyres

Marking indicating that the tyre is, according to European rulings, a “snow” tyre but performances under winter conditions have not been subject to testing.

*Brake efficiency test under winter conditions according to the ETRTO (European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation) method.

Tyres marked “3PMSF” are the only ones to guarantee real winter performance by being specifically designed for snow use and having fulfilled all of the requirements through objective testing*.

What do European regulations say about winter tyres?

European regulations on winter tyres indicate that “tyres must be marked M+S if they are snow tyres”.

No performance tests are required to display the M+S marking: this is merely a self-certification from the manufacturer. The marking does not imply any sort of objective performance guarantee.

Winter tyres that display the 3PMSF marking, however, must have passed a regulated test guaranteeing a certain level of performance in wintery conditions.

In Europe, the rules regarding the usage of certified winter tyres (M+S and/or 3PMSF)* vary from one country to another. Depending on the country, winter tyres may be required during a certain part of the year or in certain weather/driving conditions. In addition, some countries have legislation requiring a minimum tyre tread depth in wintertime.

See below for regulations by country.

Did you know?

In Europe, for tyres certified for winter (M+S and/or 3PMSF), the tyre speed rating can be slightly lower than that of the original tyres. In this case, your driving speed must be adjusted to match this lower speed rating.

A sticker with a reminder of the lowered maximum speed must then be placed inside the car in a place that is easily visible to the driver.

When should you change your tyres for the winter?

In the UK, there’s no requirement to fit winter tyres at a particular time of the year. However, it is safer to drive with winter or all season tyres in winter weather and these tyres become more effective below 7*C. To know when to change your summer tyres to winter tyres consider when the road becomes colder more regularly or there’s snow and ice. Remember this rule of thumb: “when the road temperature drops below 7*C, it’s time to put on your winter tyres!” another guide is to change to winter tyres at Halloween and summer tyres at Easter.

At temperatures below 7°C, summer tyres are less effective. The best solution is to use tyres certified for winter. These are designed for use in cold weather make it easier to control your vehicle on wet and snow-covered roads. Stopping distances for winter tyres are shorter in winter conditions and drivers can experience increased grip while driving on them, compared to summer tyres.

What about studded tyres?

Did you know?

To find the manufacture date of your tyres, you must look at the DOT (Department of Transportation) code on the sidewall.