Maryland Studded Tire Law

Running studs in Maryland

Maryland bans metal studs statewide, with two outs: vehicles registered in Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, or Washington counties may run them November 1 to March 31, and a vehicle not registered in Maryland gets a year-round pass (Md. Transp. § 22-405.2). So an out-of-state rig can legally run studs here; an in-state Maryland truck outside those five counties cannot. Studs still aren't chains and won't satisfy a traction order.

The window and winter-tire rules

• Season: Metal studs banned statewide except vehicles registered in Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, or Washington counties, November 1 to March 31 (Md. Transp. § 22-405.2). A vehicle not registered in Maryland gets a year-round carve-out.
• No M+S or 3PMSF winter-tire mandate. Chains are legal when needed for safety, but studs are not chains and won't satisfy a chain or traction order (see the Maryland chain-law page). The statute sets no stud-projection figure; COMAR 11.13.02.10 covers studded snow-tire detail. Truck note: the line is registration, not weight, an out-of-state rig may run studs, an in-state Maryland truck outside the five exempt counties may not.

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