['CMV Parts and Maintenance']
['Tires']
09/15/2024
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State comparison
| State | Applicability |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used. (t) |
| Alaska | Tire chains may be used. (t) |
| Arizona | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used. (t) |
| Arkansas | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used on any vehicle when required for safety. |
| California | Tire traction devices of reasonable size may be used to prevent skidding when on wet surfaces, snow, or ice. When a road is posted with a sign requiring chains, all heavy-duty vehicles (over 6,500 pounds gross weight) must be equipped with chains mounted on the tires in order to proceed. Vehicles without chains are not permitted to enter chain control areas and must return to a safe area. For more information: http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/trucks/ |
| Colorado | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used.
Signs along the roadway indicate when the chain law is in effect and when vehicles, including commercial motor vehicles, must be chained. A commercial motor vehicle is defined as having a GVWR or a GCWR ≥ 16,001 pounds. Commercial motor vehicles must carry tire chains (or alternate traction devices approved by the Colorado Department of Transportation) on the following highways from September 1 to May 31 of each year:
|
| Connecticut | Metal non-skid devices may be used from November 15 to April 30. |
| Delaware | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used on any vehicle. (t) |
| District Of Columbia | Between October 15 and April 15, whenever snow, sleet, or freezing rain is falling or whenever there is a covering or coating of snow, sleet, or ice on any street marked as a Snow Emergency Route, a vehicle may not become stalled on that street due to the fact that the driving wheels of the vehicle are not equipped with tire chains or effective snow tires. |
| Florida | No tire chain laws. |
| Georgia | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used.(t) |
| Hawaii | Ordinary detachable tire or skid chains are permitted. |
| Idaho | Tire chains may be used. Chains are required on Interstate 90 at Lookout Pass and Fourth of July Pass and on State Highway 12 at Lolo Pass when conditions warrant as determined by the Idaho Department of Transportation. Notice will be given and signs posted when chains are required. |
| Illinois | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used on any vehicle. (t) |
| Indiana | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used on any vehicle. (t) |
| Iowa | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used on any vehicle. (t) |
| Kansas | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used on any vehicle. (t) |
| Kentucky | When icy conditions exist, tire chains may be used. |
| Louisiana | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used on any vehicle. (t) |
| Maine | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used. (t) |
| Maryland | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used on any vehicle. (t) |
| Massachusetts | No tire chain law. |
| Michigan | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used on any vehicle. (t) |
| Minnesota | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used. (t) |
| Mississippi | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used on any vehicle. (t) |
| Missouri | No tire chain law. |
| Montana | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used. Tire chains are required whenever the tire chain signs are posted. (t) |
| Nebraska | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used on any vehicle. (t) |
| Nevada | Under certain ice or snow conditions, roads may be posted with signs stating tire chains are required. Vehicles or combinations over 10,000 pounds not equipped with chains on at least two driving wheels and at least two braking wheels on each trailer will not be allowed to proceed. For more information: www.nevadadot.com/winter https://www.dot.nv.gov/safety/safe-winter-driving/traction-and-chain-requirement-descriptions |
| New Hampshire | No tire chain laws. |
| New Jersey | Motor vehicle tires may be fitted with tire chains of reasonable size when roads, streets, and highways are slippery due to rain, snow, ice, oil, manner of construction, or other reasons; provided that no tire chains are used at any time on an improved highway when the highway conditions do not make use necessary for the safety of life or property. |
| New Mexico | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used on any vehicle. (t) |
| New York | Snow tires and/or tire chains required on a designated snow emergency route when a snow emergency has been declared by the state or municipality of jurisdiction. |
| North Carolina | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used on any vehicle. (t) |
| North Dakota | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used. |
| Ohio | Tire chains may be used when there is snow or ice on the streets or highways. |
| Oklahoma | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used. (t) |
| Oregon | Tire chains are required to be used when conditions demand because of snow, ice, or other inclement weather and signs are posted. When chains are required to be carried and the appropriate signs are posted, chains of sufficient size and number must be in or on the vehicle. For more information: http://www.tripcheck.com |
| Pennsylvania | Tire chains may be used on vehicles during periods of snow and ice emergencies. |
| Rhode Island | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used on any vehicle. (t) |
| South Carolina | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used on a vehicle. (t) |
| South Dakota | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used on a vehicle. (t) |
| Tennessee | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used on a vehicle. (t) |
| Texas | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used. (t) |
| Utah | When road surface conditions warrant, the Utah Department of Transportation or Utah Highway Patrol may require vehicles over 12,000 pounds GVW to be equipped with traction devices on all drive tires. An exception is allowed in the case of dual tires, where traction devices are required for at least one of the two tires in the dual mounting. |
| Vermont | Tire chains are required on specified portions of state highways during periods of winter weather for vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating of more than 26,000 pounds when signs are posted and (whenever possible) notice is given through public service announcements. In areas where tire chains are required, there shall be adequate area for vehicles to pull off the traveled way to affix chains. |
| Virginia | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used on a vehicle. (t) |
| Washington | Tire chains of reasonable size are allowed. When traffic control signs marked "chains required" are posted by the Department of Transportation, a vehicle or combinations of vehicles may not enter the controlled area without having mounted on its tires the appropriate type and number of tire chains. A minimum of two extra tire chains must be carried on the vehicle in the event that road conditions require the use of more chains or the chains in use are broken or otherwise useless. On certain routes, from November 1 to April 1, a sufficient number of tire chains must be carried on the vehicle at all times. For more information: https://wsdot.com/travel/real-time/mountainpasses/tiresandchains(t) |
| West Virginia | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used on a vehicle. (t) |
| Wisconsin | Tire chains of a reasonable size may be used on a vehicle. (t) |
| Wyoming | Tire chains of reasonable size may be used on a vehicle. When the chain law is in effect due to snow, ice, or other conditions, travel on a highway may be restricted to use only by motor vehicles utilizing adequate snow tires or tire chains, vehicles that are all wheel drive vehicles, or necessary emergency vehicles, including snow plows. Signs posted along the roadway indicate when the prohibition or restriction of use is in effect. (t) |
| Footnotes 1 When required for safety because of snow, ice, or other conditions tending to cause a vehicle to skid. | |
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Copyright 2025 J. J. Keller & Associate, Inc. For re-use options please contact copyright@jjkeller.com or call 800-558-5011.