Winter tyresGermany
An introduction to the traffic rules and road signs of Germany. Learn about driving, road safety and much more in our illustrated book, with answers to frequently asked questions.
For informational purposes only. Always follow official regulations. Some content and images were created with AI assistance.
243. Winter tyres
Winter tyres are tyres designed to provide improved traction and braking performance in cold weather, snow and other winter conditions. Their tread pattern and rubber compound are designed to remain effective at lower temperatures and provide better grip than ordinary summer tyres in appropriate winter conditions.
Winter tyres can be identified by markings on the sidewall. The 3PMSF symbol, showing a snowflake inside a three-peaked mountain, indicates that the tyre has met specified performance requirements for severe snow conditions.
Wikimedia.org • A7N8X • CC BY-SA
Are winter tyres compulsory on fixed calendar dates in Germany?
No fixed dates apply. Germany requires tyres meeting the winter-tyre standard when driving in black ice, snow, slush, ice or frost. Modern qualifying tyres carry the Alpine mountain-and-snowflake symbol.

Traffic rules
Germany