Michigan Studded Tire Law
Don't mount studs here. Michigan bans metal studs on your truck (MCL 257.710), allowing them only for police, ambulances, and USPS rural carriers, and only November 15 to April 1 (October 1 to May 1 in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula, dates set by department rule). The one metal traction a truck may run is a wire-embedded tire (wire 0.075 inch or less, under 5% road contact). Chains of reasonable proportion are legal for snow or ice; studs are not chains.
Running studs in Michigan
Don't mount studs here. Michigan bans metal studs on your truck (MCL 257.710), allowing them only for police, ambulances, and USPS rural carriers, and only November 15 to April 1 (October 1 to May 1 in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula, dates set by department rule). The one metal traction a truck may run is a wire-embedded tire (wire 0.075 inch or less, under 5% road contact). Chains of reasonable proportion are legal for snow or ice; studs are not chains.
The window and winter-tire rules
- Season: Metal studs prohibited for trucks year-round. Studs are allowed only for law enforcement, ambulances, and USPS rural carriers, and only November 15 to April 1 (October 1 to May 1 in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula, set by department rule) (MCL 257.710).
- No M+S or 3PMSF winter-tire mandate. Chains of reasonable proportion are legal for snow or ice (MCL 257.710); a wire-embedded tire (wire 0.075 inch or less, under 5% road contact) is the only built-in metal traction a truck may run. Studs are barred and never count as chains. See the Michigan tire-chain page.
Michigan Studded Tire FAQ
Are studded tires legal in Michigan?
When can you use studded tires in Michigan?
What is the fine for illegal studded tires in Michigan?
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 Traffic laws change and this can be out of date, so always confirm the current statute and obey posted signs before you rely on it.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://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-257-710. See our Terms & Disclaimer.
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