Winter Tires for Trucks: FAQ

Federal Association of Freight Transport, Logistics, and Disposal (BGL) e.V., Federal Association of Tire Trade and Vulcanization Craft (BRV) e.V., and the Economic Association of the German Rubber Industry (wdk) Answer Frequently Asked Questions about Winter Tires for Trucks:

Frankfurt am Main/Bonn, November 2023

Question 1: What is the legal basis for the obligation to use winter tires under specific conditions in Germany?
Answer: The regulation amending the Road Traffic Regulations (StVO), effective from December 4, 2010 (see BGBl Year 2010 Part I No. 60 dated December 3, 2010), and the 52nd amendment to the Road Traffic Regulations (StVO and StVZO), effective from June 1, 2017 (see BGBl Year 2017 Part I No. 31 dated May 31, 2017), serve as the legal basis.

Question 2: Does the “mandatory use of winter tires” apply to a specific period, for example, from October to Easter?
Answer: No. It is a so-called “situational obligation for winter tires,” meaning only those planning to drive in winter conditions (ice, snow-covered or icy roads, slush, or frost) are required to equip their vehicles with winter tires.

Question 3: What does “situational obligation for winter tires” mean?
Answer: Road users are required to install winter tires only under winter road conditions (within the jurisdiction of StVO and StVZO). Vehicles without winter tires are prohibited from driving under such conditions but may do so otherwise. However, lawmakers expect that during the winter months, vehicles making long journeys are equipped with appropriate tires if winter weather is forecasted. The excuse, “It was sunny and dry when I left,” will not be accepted if caught without winter tires under winter conditions.

Question 4: What is considered “winter conditions” on the road?
Answer: According to § 2, paragraph 3a of the StVO, winter conditions include “ice, snow cover, slush, black ice, or frost.”

Question 5: Which vehicles are subject to the “situational obligation for winter tires”?
Answer:

Vehicles of category M1: Passenger cars, SUVs, vans, motorhomes, and buses with up to 8 seats.
Vehicles of category M2: Buses with more than 8 seats and a weight of up to 5 tons.
Vehicles of category M3: Buses with more than 8 seats and a weight exceeding 5 tons.
Vehicles of category N1: Trucks (up to 3.5 tons).
Vehicles of category N2: Trucks weighing between 3.5 and 12 tons.
Vehicles of category N3: Trucks weighing over 12 tons.

Question 6: Which vehicles are excluded?
Answer:

Agricultural and forestry vehicles.
Single-track vehicles.
Forklifts.
Motorized wheelchairs.
Emergency vehicles (police, fire department, customs, etc.), if winter tires are unavailable.
Special vehicles for which the use of tires from categories C1, C2, or C3 is not feasible.

Question 7: What is considered a winter tire under the rules of StVO and StVZO?
Answer:

Tires manufactured before December 31, 2017, marked with M+S are permitted until September 30, 2024.
Tires manufactured after January 1, 2018, must bear the Alpine symbol (a snowflake inside a mountain).

Question 8: What about tires marked only with M+S but without the Alpine symbol?
Answer: Such tires do not meet the requirements for winter tires as per § 36, paragraph 4 of StVZO. Manufacturer certifications do not replace the mandatory markings.

Question 9: Which axles must be equipped with winter tires?
Answer:

For vehicles in categories M1 and N1, winter tires must be installed on all axles.
For categories M2, M3, N2, and N3, winter tires must be installed on the driving and front steering axles.

Question 10: Who is responsible for the correct choice of winter tires?
Answer: Both the driver and the owner of the vehicle are responsible.

Question 11: Have the rules regarding the minimum tread depth changed?
Answer: No. The minimum tread depth remains 1.6 mm.

Question 12: Does the obligation apply to foreign vehicles?
Answer: Yes, all vehicles in Germany must comply with the situational obligation.

Question 13: What are the penalties for violations?
Answer:

Driving without winter tires under winter conditions results in a fine of €60 (€80 if obstructing traffic, €100 if causing danger, €120 in case of an accident) and 1 point on the driver’s license.
Vehicle owners face a fine of €75 and 1 point.