Winter tyres - compulsory in certain conditions

Published on 16/04/2024

Winter tyres - mandatory under certain conditions

In Luxembourg, winter tyres are compulsory in certain conditions.

The obligation to fit winter tyres is not tied to a specific date. Driving with winter tyres is only necessary if required by the weather and the road conditions. In accordance with article 160 of Grand Ducal Order of 23 November 1955 regulating traffic on all public roads, these weather and road conditions are “in the case of ice, packed snow, melting snow, sheet ice or frost”.
The obligation to fit winter tyres does not concern vehicles parked or stationary on the public highway.
Mopeds, motorbikes, tricycles, light quadricycles and quadricycles, tractors, self-propelled vehicles and vehicles for which winter tyres don’t exist by design are not bound by the obligation.
For heavy goods vehicles and buses and coaches, just the wheels of all driving axles of these vehicles must be fitted with winter tyres. The same applies to motor-homes if their maximum permitted weight is over 3,500 kg.
The law considers a winter tyre to be a tyre featuring M + S, M. S. or M & S and/or a tyre with the alpine symbol (3-peak mountain with a snowflake). The ACL recommends the choice of a tyre with the alpine symbol because to feature this icon, the tyre must pass various tests carried out in winter conditions.
The law states that the minimum profile of a winter or summer tyre is 1.6 mm. The ACL recommends that for safety reasons, that this profile should not be less than 4 mm.
Combining different types of tyre is generally prohibited in Luxembourg.
Winter tips (in French and German)