Winter tyres in Poland: what the law says and what a driver risks

A driver from Czechia or Lithuania is used to winter tyres being a calendar obligation with a specific date written into the law. Poland has no such rule in any code, and that’s the first thing to understand before a trip in the cold season: legally, driving on summer tyres in winter isn’t prohibited. But “not prohibited” and “safe from a liability standpoint” are different things, and the difference mainly comes down to insurance.

In short. Neither the Polish Prawo o ruchu drogowym nor the regulation on vehicles’ technical conditions contains a rule requiring a switch to winter tyres in a given period. The only requirement on tyres applies year-round: a minimum tread depth of 1.6 mm. That said, in a crash on unsuitable tyres, a comprehensive (AC) insurer is entitled to reduce a payout or pursue recourse against the driver if the unsuitable tyres are found to amount to gross negligence.

What the law says literally

Neither the road traffic law nor the infrastructure ministry’s regulation on vehicles’ technical conditions contains a rule along the lines of “winter tyres mandatory from 1 November to 31 March.” Tyre requirements in Poland are general and don’t depend on the season: a minimum tread depth of 1.6 mm for a passenger car, no cracks exposing the cord, matching tread pattern on tyres on the same axle, and type approval.

The practical basis for a penalty over clearly unsuitable tyres isn’t a dedicated “winter” article, but the general rule on a vehicle’s technical condition and equipment (Article 66 of the Prawo o ruchu drogowym), and for more serious violations, Article 97 of the Kodeks wykroczeń, with a penalty of up to 3,000 złoty. In other words, there’s no formal seasonal mandate, but at a check or after a crash, an inspector can classify clearly unsuitable tyres as a violation of the general safety requirement.

The difference between “no obligation” and “no consequences” is the key point to get across to a client correctly. An inspector can’t issue a ticket simply for the fact of summer tyres in January — no such separate rule exists. But if summer tyres clearly can’t cope with actual road conditions and that’s connected to a crash or obviously dangerous driving, the general rule on technical fitness applies, not a special “winter” article. The distinction is subtle but important: the law regulates actual road safety, not the season.

Liability in a crash on summer tyres in winter

This is the most important distinction for a rental driver, beyond a simple “allowed — not allowed.”

Under compulsory third-party liability insurance (OC), an injured party can’t be refused a payout because the at-fault driver had no winter tyres — the OC law doesn’t allow that as a ground for refusal. But the at-fault driver’s own insurer can subsequently pursue recourse against the driver themselves, if the unsuitable tyres are regarded as gross negligence that contributed to the crash.

Under voluntary comprehensive insurance (AC), the insurer has more levers: it can point to the policyholder’s own contribution to the damage, or invoke an exemption from liability for gross negligence outright. Driving on summer tyres in winter under clearly adverse weather conditions can be assessed exactly that way in court and insurance practice.

The practical takeaway is simple: there’s no formal obligation to change tyres, but in a winter crash on summer tyres, the consequences land less on the police report and more on the insurance payout — and that’s the risk worth explaining to a client directly, without moralising and without the illusion that no obligation means no consequences.

For a rental car the question sounds a little different than for a private one: the client usually doesn’t choose the tyres themselves, the fleet is prepared for the season in advance. But knowing this liability logic makes it easier to explain why, in the cold season, it’s sensible to check the tyre condition on a specific car before a long trip out of the city, rather than rely on the general “it’s not mandatory in Poland.”

Snow chains: only where a sign says so

The obligation to use chains in Poland isn’t governed by a general rule, but by a specific road sign, C-18 — “chains mandatory.” The sign requires the driver to fit chains on at least two driven wheels, and the requirement ends where sign C-19 is posted. Such signs are placed at specific points, mainly on certain mountain road sections. No direct ban on chains on snow-free asphalt was found in the sources, but by general logic they’re intended only for snow-covered or icy surfaces — using them on clean asphalt doesn’t match their technical purpose and can damage both the road surface and the tyres themselves.

Requirements in neighbouring countries — critical for crossing the border

If a route goes beyond Poland, it’s worth remembering: neighbouring countries have stricter requirements, phrased differently.

Czechia. Winter tyres are mandatory from 1 November to 31 March, but not unconditionally — only under actual winter road conditions (snow, ice, or when such conditions are expected).

Slovakia. The obligation is conditional, with no strict calendar dates for passenger cars: winter tyres are required when there’s a continuous layer of snow, ice or black ice on the road.

Germany. The obligation is situational rather than calendar-based: in black ice, slush, ice or frost on the road, only cars fitted with suitable tyres on all four wheels — winter or all-season with the Alpine marking — are permitted. Since October 2024, the old M+S marking without that symbol is no longer recognised as sufficient.

Lithuania. Unlike the three countries above, the requirement is formulated as an unconditional calendar rule — roughly from 10 November to the end of March or the start of April, with no link to actual snow on the road.

The difference is fundamental: Poland doesn’t require winter tyres at all, under any formula, while all three neighbours require them either by calendar or by situation. Planning a winter trip from Warsaw into Czechia or Lithuania, it’s the destination country’s requirements that matter, not the Polish rules.

Common misconceptions

“Winter tyres are mandatory by law in Poland, like in Lithuania.” No. Neither the Prawo o ruchu drogowym nor the regulation on technical conditions contains such a rule.

“If there’s no mandatory rule, then nothing at all is at risk.” In practice an inspector can issue a ticket under the general rule on technical fitness, and an AC insurer can reduce or refuse a payout if a crash happened on clearly unsuitable tyres in snowy or icy conditions.

“Chains can always be fitted in the mountains, just in case.” Chains are only mandatory where sign C-18 is posted, and they’re meant specifically for snow-covered or icy surfaces — on clean asphalt they’re not being used as intended and can damage both the road and the tyres themselves.

What changes, and how to check

Requirements in neighbouring countries get refined from time to time — the exact calendar dates in Czechia and Lithuania are best checked right before a specific trip: sources disagree on some details, and an older publication may no longer reflect the current wording of the rule. The chain rule in Poland, and the list of specific mountain sections with sign C-18, are also best checked against the current road situation before heading into the mountains in winter.

Speed, alcohol and document rules at a check are a separate subject, covered in the article on Polish driving rules. For winter trips across the country, where confident traction on a slippery surface matters, the fleet includes all-wheel-drive models — the Mercedes-AMG G63, for example; the current fleet line-up and terms are in the catalogue section.

Frequently asked questions

Are winter tyres mandatory by law in Poland? No. No code or regulation sets out such a rule — the tread requirement (minimum 1.6 mm) applies year-round and doesn’t depend on the season.

What happens for driving on summer tyres in winter in Poland? There’s no formal fine for the fact itself, but an inspector can classify clearly unsuitable tyres as a violation of the general technical-fitness rule, and after a crash an AC insurer can reduce a payout or pursue recourse.

Can an insurer refuse a payout over summer tyres in winter? Under compulsory insurance (OC), the injured party can’t be refused. Under voluntary comprehensive insurance (AC), the insurer can reduce a payout or pursue recourse against the driver if the unsuitable tyres are treated as gross negligence.

When are snow chains mandatory in Poland? Only where road sign C-18 is posted — typically on certain mountain sections. The obligation ends where sign C-19 is posted.

Do winter tyre requirements differ across neighbouring countries? Yes, considerably. In Czechia and Slovakia the obligation is tied to actual weather conditions; in Germany it’s also situational; in Lithuania the requirement is unconditional and calendar-based, with no link to snow on the road.

Is it still worth fitting winter tyres in Poland if it’s not mandatory? From a safety and AC-insurance standpoint — yes, it’s sensible. There’s no formal obligation, but the practical risks of a crash on unsuitable tyres are real.