Studded Tires, Winter Tires and the Law: What Your Iceland Rental Car Should Have

Northbound Editorial Team Reviewed by Ivar Rafn Thorarinsson
10 min read

A car driving along an icy road in Iceland at sunset

Photo by Nicolas J Leclercq on Unsplash

Every fall, we Icelanders forget to book our tire change until the shops have a two week queue. I've stood in that queue more times than I'd like to admit.

You get to skip that part, because your rental car should come ready. But it helps to know what the law actually says, since a surprising number of travel guides get the dates wrong. Here's what the rules say, which tires suit your trip, and what to check before you drive off.

What the Law Actually Says About Winter Tires in Iceland

Tire rules live in Regulation No. 822/2004 on vehicle construction and equipment. Article 16.02 is the winter one, and it says two big things.

1. When there's snow or ice on the road, you need grip. The regulation says that when snow or ice is on the road, a vehicle must have snow chains or, depending on driving conditions, other equipment that provides grip, such as coarse "winter pattern" tires, with or without studs.

So there's no simple "winter tires from date X" rule. The rule follows the road in front of you. If it's icy, your tires have to be up to it.

2. Studs and chains have a closed season. Studs and chains may not be used from April 15 to October 31, inclusive, unless driving conditions require them.

Breaking these rules can mean a fine under the Traffic Act, No. 77/2019. In an answer to parliament, the Minister of Justice said police issued 346 fines for stud use from 2018 to 2022.

The Stud Season: November 1 to April 14 (Not April 15)

Yes, I'm going to be a little smug about one date.

Because studs are banned from April 15 to October 31 inclusive, the normal stud season runs from November 1 to April 14. That's five and a half months.

Lots of guides say studs are allowed "until April 15." Even the City of Reykjavík's English page says studs aren't banned "from November 1 to April 15." That sounds like the 15th is included, but the regulation is clear: April 15 is the first day of the ban. So if you're driving on studs on April 15 and the roads are dry, you're technically on the wrong side of the line.

The catch that works in your favor is the "unless driving conditions require them" clause. Iceland doesn't check a calendar before it snows. The same parliamentary answer says police may not fine stud use after April 15 if there's snow or ice on the road, and some districts have announced flexibility. South Iceland police, for example, said in 2022 they wouldn't fine drivers already on studs on October 13.

So, honestly: November 1 to April 14 is the legal stud season, and the edges bend when the weather is wintry. Picking up in late October or mid April? Ask what tires the car will have, so you know what you're driving on.

The 3 mm Rule Most Visitors Have Never Heard Of

From November 1 to April 14, a passenger car must have tires with at least 3.0 mm of tread depth. The rest of the year, the minimum is 1.6 mm. Vans follow the same rule as passenger cars.

This came in with amendment No. 736/2014, in force since November 1, 2014. Note the wording: it covers whatever tires are on the car in that period, not just "winter tires."

Why care? Tread pushes slush and water out of the way, so a tire that's legal in July can be too thin for January. Your rental should meet the rule, but knowing the number helps you spot a tired tire. For what it's worth, FÍB recommends at least 4 mm on winter tires.

Close up of a tire tread pattern

Photo by Marvin Sagisi on Unsplash

Studded vs Studless vs All Season Tires: My Honest Take for Visitors

You'll hear three types of tire mentioned. Here's my take, from someone who once slid into a snowbank "on purpose" (I'm sticking with that story).

Studded winter tires

These are winter tires with small metal pins in the tread. On glare ice, the kind you get on a calm, clear morning after rain, they're the best grip you'll find on a normal rental tire.

My pick: if you're doing the Ring Road, the North, the East or the Westfjords between November and March, studs are what I'd want under me. That's where an hour of clean asphalt can end in a sheet of ice on a pass.

The downsides, honestly:

  • They're noisy. You'll hear a crunchy hum on bare asphalt.
  • They wear roads and create dust. Reykjavík City discourages studs in town for exactly this reason. A specialist from the Environment Agency of Iceland said a car with studs pollutes up to 40 times more than one without.
  • They aren't magic. On deep snow or slush, it's the tread and the rubber doing the work, not the pins.

Reykjavík doesn't ban studs, though. The city counted studs on 28.9% of cars in late November 2023, so plenty of locals still use them.

Studless (friction) winter tires

These use soft rubber and lots of small cuts in the tread to grip snow and ice without pins. They're quieter and kinder to the roads.

My pick: if you're staying in Reykjavík, doing the Golden Circle or the South Coast, and your plans can flex around the weather, a good studless winter tire is a perfectly sensible choice.

The downside: on pure, polished ice, they don't bite like studs do. That's where you slow down even more.

All season tires

All season tires try to do everything. In an Icelandic winter, "everything" includes a mountain pass in drifting snow.

My take: I wouldn't pick them for a winter road trip here. Iceland's automobile association, FÍB, notes that summer tire rubber starts to harden below about +7°C, which is why proper winter rubber matters. If you get all season tires, look for the snowflake symbol (see below).

Aerial view of a winding road through a snowy Icelandic landscape at dusk

Photo by Matej Rieciciar on Unsplash

What Your Iceland Rental Car Should Have in Winter

Let's turn the law into a simple wish list for a winter rental between November and April:

  • Winter tires on all four wheels, studded or studless. Safetravel's own winter advice is to make sure your rental car has appropriate winter equipment such as winter tires.
  • At least 3 mm of tread on every tire, by law, from November 1 to April 14.
  • Matching tires on each axle. The regulation says the tires on the same axle should be the same size and type, with a similar tread pattern, and studded tires on the same axle should have about the same number of studs.

If tires matter for your route, ask about them before you book.

For the bigger picture on choosing your car, see our guide to renting a car in Iceland in winter.

What to Check at Pickup (Five Minutes, Tops)

No mechanic skills needed. Walk around the car once and check:

  1. Studs or not. Studs are small metal pins in the tread, easy to spot. Now you know how to drive it.
  2. The snowflake symbol. Look for a three peak mountain with a snowflake inside it on the sidewall. It means the tire passed a standard snow traction test. "M+S" alone just means mud and snow, based on the tread design, with no snow test behind it.
  3. Tread depth. The small wear bars in the grooves sit at 1.6 mm. If the tread is near level with them, it's well under the 3 mm winter minimum. Say so before you leave.
  4. Damage. Look for cuts, bulges or a tire that looks lower than the rest.
  5. Photos. Snap each tire. Thirty seconds, zero arguments later.

Basic insurance is always included with your rental. Before you go, check what your insurance covers when it comes to tires and wheels.

Our pickup checklist goes through the rest of the car.

A 4x4 at a gas station in snowy winter weather in Iceland

Photo by Nicolas J Leclercq on Unsplash

A 4x4 Is Not a Substitute for Grip

Four driven wheels on ice are still four wheels on ice.

This is the myth I'd most like to retire. A 4x4 helps you get moving in snow. It doesn't help you stop or steer on ice. That's the tires' job.

Safetravel says it straight: a 4x4 can be helpful in some winter conditions, but it does not eliminate the risk of skidding on ice. I'd add that a 4x4 on worn tires gives you confidence you haven't earned. In normal winter conditions on main roads, a small car on great winter tires can be the smarter pick, and you don't need a 4x4 for the Ring Road just because it's winter. What you need is good tires, a flexible plan and some patience.

Good Tires Are Only Half the Job

Even the best tire can't beat a closed road or a storm. Before every winter drive, check:

For the driving itself, see our winter driving tips.

The Bottom Line

The version I'd give a friend at the airport:

  • Studs are legal from November 1 to April 14. From April 15 to October 31, they're banned unless conditions require them.
  • On snow or ice, the law says your car must have grip, such as winter tires or chains.
  • From November 1 to April 14, tires on a passenger car need at least 3 mm of tread.
  • Studs for the remote and icy, good studless winter tires for flexible trips near the capital.
  • A 4x4 is nice. Good tires are essential.

Check your tires at pickup and the weather and roads every morning, and you'll spend your trip looking at waterfalls, not the inside of a snowbank.

Sources

Katla