Studded tires are legal in New York from October 16 through April 30 each year. Drive on them outside that window and you’re committing a traffic infraction that can carry a fine of up to $150. The dates are set by state law and apply to every vehicle on a New York public road, no matter where it’s registered.
The Legal Season Runs October 16 to April 30
New York Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 375(35-a) prohibits studded tires on public highways from May 1 through October 15.1New York State Senate. New York Vehicle and Traffic Law 375 – Equipment That leaves October 16 through April 30 as the legal window. The dates are fixed by statute. An early snowstorm in September doesn’t push the start date back, a late ice storm in May doesn’t extend it, and no county or city has authority to adjust the calendar for colder regions.
If your studs are still on the tires on May 1, you’re in violation the moment the vehicle hits a public road. The rule is absolute, not weather-dependent.
Stud Size and Protrusion Limits
Even during the legal season, the studs themselves have to meet three limits under Section 375(35-a):1New York State Senate. New York Vehicle and Traffic Law 375 – Equipment
- The stud, including its casing, cannot be wider than three-eighths of an inch in diameter.
- The stud cannot protrude more than three thirty-seconds of an inch beyond the tread surface.
- The total stud contact area cannot exceed three-quarters of one percent of the tire’s overall contact patch.
Factory studded tires from established manufacturers are built to these kinds of state limits, so most drivers won’t be measuring anything. Where it matters is aftermarket stud kits and heavily worn tires, where the studs can end up protruding farther than they did when new. A stud over the protrusion limit is treated as an illegal metal object sticking out of the tread, which is prohibited year-round.
What a Ticket Costs
Driving on studded tires outside the legal window is a traffic infraction under Section 375(32)(a). The maximum penalty is a $150 fine, up to 30 days in jail, or both.1New York State Senate. New York Vehicle and Traffic Law 375 – Equipment Jail time for a tire equipment violation is essentially unheard of in practice. What you can expect is a ticket and a fine, with the court setting the amount.
The violation does not add points to your New York driver’s license. It’s an equipment infraction, not a moving violation.
Vehicles That Can Run Studs Year-Round
Two narrow categories are exempt from the seasonal rule: school buses and vehicles owned by a state or municipal government.1New York State Senate. New York Vehicle and Traffic Law 375 – Equipment The exemption does not reach personal vehicles driven by government employees, privately owned emergency medical vehicles, or U.S. Postal Service carriers. If the vehicle itself isn’t government-owned or a school bus, the October-to-April window applies.
Out-of-State Drivers Are Not Exempt
The statute applies to any vehicle operated on a New York public highway, regardless of where it’s registered.1New York State Senate. New York Vehicle and Traffic Law 375 – Equipment A driver from Vermont, where studded tires are legal year-round, can drive on studs at home in mid-May and still be ticketed the moment they cross into New York.
This hits cross-border commuters hardest, because every neighboring state sets its own calendar:
- Vermont allows studded tires year-round.
- Connecticut permits them from November 15 through April 30.
- Pennsylvania permits them from November 1 through April 15.
- Massachusetts permits them from November 1 through the end of April.2Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Frequently Asked Questions About Highway Snow and Ice Operations
- New Jersey permits them from November 15 through April 1.
New York’s October 16 start is the earliest in the region, so if you’re mounting studs to cover the earliest state on your route, New York’s calendar is the one to watch. On the removal end, the controlling date is whichever bordering state ends its season first. A commuter running between New York and New Jersey, for example, needs the studs off by April 1 to stay legal in New Jersey, even though New York still allows them for another four weeks.
The Same Rule Everywhere in the State
The studded tire season is set at the state level and applies identically in all 62 counties. No city, town, or county can shorten or extend the window.1New York State Senate. New York Vehicle and Traffic Law 375 – Equipment That holds even in the Adirondacks and the Lake Effect snow belt near Buffalo, where winter conditions are significantly more severe and last longer than in New York City or on Long Island. October 16 through April 30 is the rule from the Canadian border to the Atlantic shore.