Who pays if a vehicle drives in snow without suitable tyres? This page summarises § 2 of the Road Traffic Regulations, § 36 of the Road Traffic Licensing Regulations and the fine catalogue.
Zevra is the B2B platform for digital vehicle registration for car dealers, registration services and fleets: cases are entered in the dealer portal and filed nationwide by power of attorney with qualified electronic signature – from €10 per registration, no base fee, no minimum volume.
Last updated: · Zevra editorial team · Reviewed by M. Gabal, owner
When does the winter tyre rule apply?
In black ice, packed snow, slush, ice or hoar frost a motor vehicle may only be driven if all wheels are fitted with tyres for wintry weather conditions.
The provision does not name a fixed date.
Which tyres are sufficient?
Tyres for wintry weather conditions improve the driving properties on snow through their tread, compound or construction.
They are marked with the Alpine symbol, a mountain pictogram with a snowflake under UNECE Regulation No. 117.
Which fine does the catalogue provide?
| Offence | Standard rate |
|---|---|
| driving without suitable tyres | 60 euros |
| driving without suitable tyres with obstruction | 80 euros |
| as keeper, ordering or allowing the vehicle to be put into operation | 75 euros |
The standard rates are listed in the fine catalogue.
Which vehicles are exempt?
- commercial vehicles of agriculture and forestry
- single-track motor vehicles
- forklift trucks
- motorised wheelchairs
For vehicles of classes M2, M3, N2 and N3 such tyres are sufficient on the permanently driven axles and the front steering axles.
What applies to exempt vehicles on slippery roads?
Before every journey the driver checks whether it is necessary because the destination cannot be reached by other means of transport.
He drives no faster than 50 km/h and keeps a distance in metres of at least half the speedometer value.
What does this mean for dealers?
For rental companies and fleets this means: the keeper also commits an offence if a rental vehicle drives without suitable tyres; every rental vehicle needs tyres with the Alpine symbol on slippery roads.
With Zevra the dealer files registration and deregistration in the dealer portal. Registration costs from 10 € per case, deregistration 2 € net, plus official fees.
- Fines in German vehicle registration: standard rates from the schedule of fines
- Keeper liability under § 7 StVG: duty to compensate, maximum amounts and vehicles handed over
- Checking the driving licence: what the keeper risks under § 21 StVG
- Registering rental cars and taxis: reporting the use and meeting deadlines
- Keeper liability for stopping or parking offences in Germany: when the keeper bears the costs (§ 25a StVG)
- Temporary registration proof: valid for 10 days
- Documents posted by the authority: within 6 days
- Digital deregistration: documents from 01.01.2015
- Digital registration: documents from 01.01.2018
- Registration with Zevra: €10 net
- Deregistration with Zevra: €2 net · base fee: €0
Deadlines and cut-off dates according to: Bundesministerium für Verkehr
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Sources: Straßenverkehrs-Ordnung (StVO) § 2 – Straßenbenutzung durch Fahrzeuge · Straßenverkehrs-Zulassungs-Ordnung (StVZO) § 36 – Bereifung und Laufflächen · Straßenverkehrs-Zulassungs-Ordnung (StVZO) § 31 – Verantwortung für den Betrieb der Fahrzeuge · Bußgeldkatalog-Verordnung (BKatV) Anlage – Bußgeldkatalog · Sources · Vehicle figures: tax, insurance, fines