Florida Tire Chain Laws

How Florida handles chains

Florida has no chain law and no snow to trigger one. Chains are not required and never posted. State law bars driving over paved roads with sharpened or roughened wheel surfaces, with an exception for rubber tires with studs that do not injure the road (Fla. Stat. 316.299). You will not see R-1 levels or 'Chains Required' signs anywhere in the state. Rare Panhandle ice is handled by slowing down, not chaining. Check FL511.com if a storm rolls through.

When, where, and what counts

• When required: Never required. Florida posts no chain order and no chain-control signs. There is no winter chain activation anywhere in the state.
• Where: No mandate and no real snow corridors. The Panhandle near Tallahassee and I-10 see rare ice, but chains are not called for.
• Applies to: No CMV chain mandate. No weight threshold applies.
• Chains vs traction devices: No Florida statute requires tire chains, and none expressly permits them (Fla. Stat. ch. 316 has no tire-chain provision). Florida law bars driving any tractor engine, tractor or other vehicle or contrivance on a paved or graded public road if its wheels have sharpened or roughened surfaces (Fla. Stat. 316.299). It exempts roughened pneumatic rubber tires with studs designed to improve traction without materially injuring the road, cleated wheels fitted with filler blocks that form a smooth surface, and wheels built so they do not injure the road. County and FDOT road construction or maintenance equipment is exempt too, as are farm implements under 1,000 pounds with wheel surfaces more than 1/2 inch wide. A violation is a noncriminal nonmoving traffic infraction under Fla. Stat. ch. 318. The statute does not say whether tire chains count as roughened surfaces. No posted device tiers exist.
• Check the live order: FDOT's FL511: FL511.com or the FL511 mobile app (text and email alerts through My Florida 511).
• Fine: No chain-up requirement and no chain-up fine.

More for Florida