Winter tyres and snow chains with a rental car in Europe (2026-27)
Of the 14 European countries on this page, 5 require winter tyres or snow chains on set dates, in some of them only on signed roads or in signed areas (Andorra, Croatia, France, Italy and Slovenia), 8 only in winter road conditions (Austria, Czechia, Finland, Germany, Norway, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden) and 1 has no obligation (Switzerland); for each one we quote the government, the police or the road safety agency, last checked on 30 October 2026.
Local orders and road signs come first. We quote governments, police forces and road safety agencies word for word, with the date we checked them; this is information, not legal advice. Before you drive, check the signs on your route and ask the rental company whether winter tyres or chains are included and at what cost.
Every country
“Obligation”, “Period” and “Snow chains” are our short summaries; each country page quotes the official sentences, with the link and the date. “Not covered” means that the official pages we read do not say whether rental cars come with winter tyres or chains. For Croatia, Czechia, Finland and Spain the newest official page we found was written for an earlier winter: the country page gives its date, so check the rule again before you travel.
| Country | Obligation | Period | Snow chains | Rental cars | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andorra | Yes, on set dates – chains on board unless winter or M+S tyres | 1 November – 15 May | On board unless winter or M+S tyres; compulsory for all in the red phase | Not covered | Government of Andorra · Andorra Department of Mobility | 30 October 2026 |
| Austria | Only in winter conditions – winter tyres on all four wheels in snow, slush or ice | 1 November – 15 April | Instead of winter tyres only on roads under snow or ice | Not covered | Austrian Federal Ministry for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure | 30 October 2026 |
| Croatia | Yes, on set dates – on winter road sections, and on any road in snow or ice | 15 November – 15 April | Summer tyres (4 mm tread) plus chains on the drive wheels | Not covered | Croatian Police (Zagreb Police Administration) | 30 October 2026 |
| Czechia | Only in winter conditions – always where the “Zimní výbava” sign stands | 1 November – 31 March | Not covered by the page we read | Not covered | Czech Ministry of Transport | 30 October 2026 |
| Finland | Only in winter conditions – if the weather so requires | November – March, if the weather requires | Not covered by the page we read | Not covered | Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) | 30 October 2026 |
| France | Yes, on set dates – in signed mountain areas only | 1 November – 31 March | Carry chains or snow socks, or fit 4 winter tyres | Not covered | Service-Public.fr (French government) | 30 October 2026 |
| Germany | Only in winter conditions – winter tyres on all wheels in ice, snow or slush | No dates: it depends on road conditions | Speed limit with chains: 50 km/h | Not covered | German Federal Ministry of Transport · German Federal Ministry of Justice (Gesetze im Internet) | 30 October 2026 |
| Italy | Yes, on set dates – on roads with a local order and road signs | 15 November – 15 April (some roads have other dates) | Chains on board instead of winter tyres | Not covered | Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport · Polizia di Stato (Italian State Police) | 30 October 2026 |
| Norway | Only in winter conditions – summer tyres not allowed on winter roads | 1 November – first Sunday after Easter Monday (3 mm tread) | Winter tyres, chains or similar when needed | Not covered | Norwegian Public Roads Administration (Statens vegvesen) | 30 October 2026 |
| Slovakia | Only in winter conditions – tyres for snow on all axles in snow, ice or frost | No dates on the page we read | Not covered by the page we read | Not covered | Slovensko.sk (Slovak government portal) | 30 October 2026 |
| Slovenia | Yes, on set dates – winter tyres, or summer tyres with chains in the car | 15 November – 15 March | Summer tyres plus chains carried in the car | Not covered | Slovenian Tourist Board · Slovenian Traffic Safety Agency (AVP) | 30 October 2026 |
| Spain | Only in winter conditions – when the DGT restricts traffic on snowy roads | No fixed period on the page we read | Chains or winter tyres when the DGT restricts traffic | Not covered | Spanish Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT) | 30 October 2026 |
| Sweden | Only in winter conditions – snow, ice, slush or frost on the road | 1 December – 31 March | Named as “equivalent equipment” in the part on heavy vehicles | Not covered | Swedish Transport Agency (Transportstyrelsen) | 30 October 2026 |
| Switzerland | No – but you may be liable if the car is not equipped for winter | No legal period (advice: October to Easter) | Not covered by the page we read | Not covered | ch.ch (Swiss Confederation, cantons and communes) | 30 October 2026 |
Hire a car in Europe
Hiring a car in Europe this winter? Compare rental companies and prices on DiscoverCars. Before you book, ask the rental company whether winter tyres or chains are included and at what cost.
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Questions
Do rental cars come with snow chains?
None of the official pages we read for these 14 countries says whether rental cars come with winter tyres or snow chains. Ask the rental company whether winter tyres or chains are included and at what cost.
Can you put snow chains on a rental car?
The official pages we read do not cover this. Ask the rental company whether chains are included, whether you may fit them and at what cost.
Do rental cars in Italy have winter tyres?
The Italian official pages we read do not mention rental cars. In Italy the rule depends on the road: winter tyres, or snow chains on board, where a local order and road signs require them, and a Ministry directive sets the period of these orders between 15 November and 15 April. Ask the rental company whether winter tyres or chains are included and at what cost.
How we check
We read the pages of ministries, police forces, road safety agencies and government portals (for example the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, the Austrian transport ministry, Service-Public.fr, ch.ch, Statens vegvesen and Transportstyrelsen) and quote them word for word; pages in other languages are quoted in the original with our English translation. A country is listed only if its official page answered normally on the day of the check, and we say what we could not read. We write that a rule is about rental cars only when the official text says so: none of the pages we read does. We check every source again each October, before the winter season. More on the About page. Spotted a change? Tell us.
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