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Winter is here, and that means it's time to talk about tire chains. Whether you love them, hate them, or have never touched a set in your life, knowing when, where, and how to use them is key to staying safe (and legal) on the road.
Each state has its own chain laws, and every trucking company has a different policy. Some require their drivers to chain up to keep freight moving, while others — like Anderson Trucking Service (ATS) — advise drivers to park when conditions get bad. But regardless of company policy, if you’re driving through mountainous states in the winter, state laws might require you to chain up. Ignoring those rules (or using chains when you shouldn’t) could lead to steep fines.
I spent 19 years driving over the road (OTR), racking up over 2 million accident-free miles, much of that through snow-covered mountain passes. Now, as part of the ATS safety team, I’m here to share what I’ve learned about chaining up, staying compliant, and making the safest decision when winter weather strikes.
Let’s make sure you’re prepared for the road ahead!
What are Tire Chains?
Tire chains — metal devices secured around the tires — are designed to provide traction when navigating snow-covered or icy roads. Tire chains are only designed to be used for short distances — ideally when you’re trying to drive to a safe location or get through a mountain pass. You shouldn’t drive more than 25 or 30 miles per hour (mph) with them on.
Driving with tire chains on is a rough ride. If they come loose, they can do a lot of damage to your truck and tires. You can pop tires, tear up your truck, or lose mud flaps.
Because of the damage they can cause, best practice is not to use them. Not only that but even if there are designated areas to chain up, they’re usually just on the side of the road. It can be dangerous and scary to chain up on the side of an icy, snow-covered road with traffic sliding by.
Tire Chain Laws By State
Tire chain laws are mandated on the state level. Tire chain laws dictate when you should, shouldn’t, and must use tire chains. Many states allow chains when needed at the driver’s discretion, but some states restrict them depending on the time of year and type of chain.
Using the incorrect type of chain or using chains that aren’t in accordance with these laws can subject you to fines. Chains can not only damage your truck and trailer; they can also damage the roads. This is why states have laws regarding their usage.
Use the chart below for state-by-state guidance on when you’re required to carry chains in your truck, when you need to use them, and when you shouldn’t use them. Failing to follow these laws can result in fines.
For more updated information, refer to each state’s Department of Transportation (DOT) website.
| State | Chain Law Summary |
| Alabama | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. |
| Alaska | Tire chain laws vary by location and time of year, check local laws. Special permits may be obtained to use chains in prohibited zones. |
| Arizona | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. |
| Arkansas | Allowed during certain times of year when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. |
| California | Tire chain controls may be established in mountain areas. If so, there are three levels of requirements. Level 1 requires chains on all vehicles except passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks under 6,000 pounds gross weight equipped with snow tires. Level 2 requires chains on all vehicles except four-wheel or all-wheel drive vehicles with snow-tread tires. Level 3 requires chains on all vehicles, no exceptions. |
| Colorado | Drivers must carry tire chains in certain areas September 1 to May 31. To avoid fines, check local laws and use chains when required. |
| Connecticut | Chains and studded tires may be used November 15 to April 30. |
| Delaware | Chains are allowed when needed from October 15 to April 15. |
| Florida | No tire chain laws. |
| Georgia | Tire chains required when posted on signage. |
| Hawaii | No tire chain laws. |
| Idaho | Studded tires are allowed October 1 to April 30. Chains are allowed as needed and required on some mountain passes. |
| Illinois | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. |
| Indiana | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. Studded tires are permitted October 1 to May 1. |
| Iowa | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. |
| Kansas | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. |
| Kentucky | May not be used unless the road is ice-covered or the vehicle has an ice shoe at least 6 inches wide. Limit on diameter and spacing. |
| Louisiana | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. |
| Maine | Allowed when required during certain times of year due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. |
| Maryland | Required when a snow emergency has been declared, but not allowed on vehicles weighing more than 10,000 lbs. |
| Massachusetts | Permitted when necessary from November 1 to May 1. |
| Michigan | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. |
| Minnesota | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. |
| Mississippi | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. |
| Missouri | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. Not permitted April 1 to November 1. |
| Montana | Chains may be required year-round when a chain-up sign is posted. |
| Nebraska | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. |
| Nevada | Required on all vehicles over 10,000 pounds when posted. |
| New Hampshire | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. |
| New Jersey | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. |
| New Mexico | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. |
| New York | Allowed when a snow emergency has been declared by the state or municipality. |
| North Carolina | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. |
| North Dakota | Studded tires allowed between October 15 and April 15. Otherwise, tire chains are allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. |
| Ohio | Studded tires allowed between November 1 and April 15. |
| Oklahoma | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. |
| Oregon | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions from November 1 to March 31. |
| Pennsylvania | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions from November 1 to April 15. |
| Rhode Island | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. |
| South Carolina | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. |
| South Dakota | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. |
| Tennessee | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. |
| Texas | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. |
| Utah | Allowed when posted or when road conditions warrant it. |
| Vermont | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. Required in certain areas when posted. |
| Virginia | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions from October 15 to April 15. |
| Washington | Required on certain routes from November 1 to April 1. Check local laws and use chains when required. |
| West Virginia | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions from November 1 to April 15. |
| Wisconsin | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. Chains mustn’t come in direct contact with the road surface. |
| Wyoming | Allowed when required due to snow, rain, or other poor weather conditions. Chains may be required in extreme weather conditions. |
What Type of Chains are There?
There are a few types of chains and other similar tools you can utilize to gain additional traction while driving on treacherous roads. They include automatic tire chains, single chains, dual chains, cables, tire socks, and studded tires.
While automatic tire chains can be mounted to the tires, these aren’t used by truck drivers. Instead, drivers most often use single and dual chains that must be manually applied — which can be both time-consuming and dangerous if you’re doing it on the side of the road. Single chains go over one individual tire while dual chains fit over two tires at once. They’re both heavier and take longer to put on.
Cables look similar to chains, but they’re lighter and cheaper. While they’re just as effective as chains, they’re very easy to bend and break and can usually only be used once.
Tire socks, or snow socks, are an alternative for tire chains — albeit a very expensive one. They’re normally made of woven fabric and some sort of rubbery material. The socks wrap around the tire to cover the tread and increase traction. Some states don’t recognize tire socks as a suitable replacement for chains.
Studded tires can also be used in place of chains. Studded tires have studs in them to grip icy, snow-covered roads. These are put on instead of all-weather or winter tires. Some states don’t allow their use, however.
How to Put on Tire Chains
Even if your company doesn’t require you to use chains, it’s still good practice to know how to use them. If you encounter an emergency or end up in an area that requires them, you’ll know how to use them.
Putting on tire chains is time-consuming, especially if you’ve never done it. If you’ve chained before, it might take you 30 minutes to chain four tires. If you’ve never done it before, it could take 90 minutes.
Get to the safest place you can park to chain up. Then grab your chains. How many chains you put on will depend upon state regulations, but they don’t need to go on every tire.
Untangle the chains and ensure they’re clean of snow. Then you can begin to drape the chains over the select tires with the hooks facing out. Connect the chains. Then, you’ll need to drive forward and/or backward to get the chain on the rest of the tire.
Some tricks make chaining go quicker. For instance, I used to stack two short pieces of wood underneath the drive tire, drive up, and then raise the axle off the ground. That allowed me to put the whole chain on in one go.
Jody King