Kentucky Studded Tire Law
Kentucky has no statute that limits studded tires (no seasonal window and no GVW weight cap), so a truck can run studs in any month; AAA's Digest and state tire guides list Kentucky studs as permitted. Read the citation carefully: KRS 189.190 is Kentucky's tire-equipment statute, but it governs chains, lugs, and solid-rubber-tire thickness and does not mention metal studs at all — studs are legal by the absence of any ban, not by an affirmative permissive line, which is why confidence is medium. No winter-tire mandate. Studs aren't chains.
A date here is flagged medium confidence — confirm the current window with the state DOT before you run studs.
Running studs in Kentucky
Kentucky has no statute that limits studded tires (no seasonal window and no GVW weight cap), so a truck can run studs in any month; AAA's Digest and state tire guides list Kentucky studs as permitted. Read the citation carefully: KRS 189.190 is Kentucky's tire-equipment statute, but it governs chains, lugs, and solid-rubber-tire thickness and does not mention metal studs at all — studs are legal by the absence of any ban, not by an affirmative permissive line, which is why confidence is medium. No winter-tire mandate. Studs aren't chains.
The window and winter-tire rules
- Season: No seasonal limit. Studded tires are legal in any month; no calendar window applies. KRS 189.190 does not regulate studs, so nothing ties them to a season or to ice-only use.
- No M+S/3PMSF winter-tire law. KRS 189.190 does set chain rules — cross chains no more than 3/4 inch thick and spaced no more than 10 inches apart, and a chained wheel used on a highway not covered with ice must rest on an ice shoe at least 6 inches wide. (That 6-inch figure is a chained-wheel/ice-shoe rule — it is NOT a studded-tire tire-width requirement, despite what some stud guides claim.) Studs are equipment, not a traction order, and don't satisfy a chain requirement — see the Kentucky chain-law page.
Kentucky Studded Tire FAQ
Are studded tires legal in Kentucky?
When can you use studded tires in Kentucky?
What is the fine for illegal studded tires in Kentucky?
Reference information for planning, not legal advice. Traffic laws change and this can be out of date, so always confirm the current statute and obey posted signs before you rely on it. Last reviewed July 2026. Source: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=6319. See our Terms & Disclaimer.
More for Kentucky
Check Kentucky before you roll
Live weather, closures, and hazards on one map. Free, no account.
Open Live Map →