What changed · October 3, 2026
Maine · Driving
studded tires
Details updated — status unchanged
What changed
- wasMay 1
- wasOct 1
- nowOct 2, 2026
- nowApr 30, 2027
Before
Studded tires are legal in Maine only from October 2 through April 30. Under 29-A M.R.S. 1919 a person may not operate a vehicle with tires having metal studs, wires, spikes or other metal protruding from the tire tread from the first day of May to the first day of October. The Commissioner of Transportation may extend the use period, or in a special case issue a permit covering stated periods of time, with a fee set by the commissioner of between $3 and $15; a permit holder must carry the permit in an easily accessible place in or about the vehicle. The prohibition does not apply to fire department vehicles or school buses.
Now
Studded tires are legal in Maine from October 2, 2026 through April 30, 2027. Under 29-A M.R.S. 1919 a person may not operate a vehicle with tires having metal studs, wires, spikes or other metal protruding from the tire tread from the first day of May to the first day of October, so the current studded season opened on October 2, 2026 and runs through April 30, 2027. The Commissioner of Transportation may extend the use period, or in a special case issue a permit covering stated periods of time, with a fee that may not be less than $3 and not more than $15 as determined by the commissioner; a permit holder must carry the permit in an easily accessible place in or about the vehicle. The prohibition does not apply to fire department vehicles or school buses.
The rule today
Studded tires are legal in Maine from October 2, 2026 through April 30, 2027. Under 29-A M.R.S. 1919 a person may not operate a vehicle with tires having metal studs, wires, spikes or other metal protruding from the tire tread from the first day of May to the first day of October, so the current studded season opened on October 2, 2026 and runs through April 30, 2027. The Commissioner of Transportation may extend the use period, or in a special case issue a permit covering stated periods of time, with a fee that may not be less than $3 and not more than $15 as determined by the commissioner; a permit holder must carry the permit in an easily accessible place in or about the vehicle. The prohibition does not apply to fire department vehicles or school buses.
✓ Verified against the official source · October 3, 2026 · Official source ↗
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