On the road: requirements by country
Apart from tolls and vignettes, every country has its own rules on what has to be in and on your car. These are the requirements we have traced back to a source: what you must always carry, what applies in winter and a few rules you would not expect.
Always in the car
- High-visibility vestAustria, Belgium, Czechia, France, Germany, Norway, Slovenia
- Warning triangleAustria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, Slovenia, Switzerland
- First-aid kitAustria, Czechia
Only countries where we found the rule in a source are listed. If a country is missing, it has not been checked yet: it does not mean the item is not required there.
Tap a country for that country’s checklist, with the explanation and the source for each item.
Winter tyres and snow chains
Some countries have a fixed period, others go by the weather. Switzerland has no legal requirement, but you can be held liable if you drive on unsuitable tyres.
| Country | Rule |
|---|---|
| Austria | Winter tyres in wintry conditions From 1 November to 15 April you must drive on winter tyres in snow, slush or ice. Applies to cars and vehicles up to 3.5 t. The tyre must be marked M+S and have at least 4 mm of tread. Snow chains on at least two driven wheels are allowed instead, but only when the road is fully or almost fully covered with snow or ice.Source: BMIMI (Oostenrijks ministerie van verkeer), 10 November 2026 |
| Croatia | Winter equipment from 15 November to 15 April From 15 November to 15 April winter equipment is mandatory on the winter sections of public roads, even without snow. According to the EU portal Your Europe, for vehicles under 3.5 t this means winter tyres (M+S) on all wheels, or summer tyres with at least 4 mm of tread plus snow chains on board.Source: HAK (Kroatische automobielclub), 10 November 2026 |
| Czechia | Winter tyres in snow, ice or frost From 1 November to 31 March winter tyres are mandatory when snow, ice or frost covers the road or can be expected.Source: Tsjechisch ministerie van Verkeer, 10 November 2026 |
| France | Winter tyres or snow chains in mountain areas From 1 November 2026 to 31 March 2027, in designated mountain municipalities you must have four winter tyres fitted or carry snow chains or snow socks. Only tyres with the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol (3PMSF) count as winter tyres. The prefect of each department decides which municipalities are covered.Source: Service-Public.gouv.fr, 10 November 2026 |
| Germany | Winter tyres in wintry conditions On black ice, snow, slush or frost you may only drive if all wheels have winter tyres. There is no fixed period: the weather decides. A winter tyre is one with the Alpine symbol (mountain with snowflake).Source: Bundesministerium für Verkehr, 10 November 2026 |
| Italy | Winter tyres or snow chains on designated roads From 15 November 2026 to 15 April 2027, on roads where the road operator has ordered it, you must have winter tyres fitted or carry snow chains. The obligation is shown on a sign and applies even without snow. Dates can differ locally.Source: Polizia di Stato, 10 November 2026 |
| Norway | Tyres with enough grip, at least 3 mm tread in winter From 1 November until the first Sunday after Easter Monday at least 3 mm of tread is required. In Nordland, Troms and Finnmark this applies from 16 October to 30 April. On slippery roads you need winter tyres or chains, also outside those periods. Summer tyres are not acceptable on winter roads.Source: Statens vegvesen, 10 November 2026 |
| Slovenia | Winter equipment from 15 November to 15 March From 15 November to 15 March, and outside that period in wintry conditions, winter equipment is mandatory. For vehicles up to 3,500 kg this means winter tyres on all wheels, or summer tyres with snow chains for the driven wheels on board. Winter tyres are marked M+S and have at least 3 mm of tread.Source: Sloveense politie, 10 November 2026 |
Rules you would not expect
- France: speed camera alerts off. A sat nav or app that warns of speed cameras is banned, even if the function is built into the car. See the checklist for France.
- Denmark: lights on at all times. In daylight too. See the checklist for Denmark.
- France: breathalyser no longer needed. That requirement was dropped in 2020.
If a country or rule is not listed here, we have not yet checked it against an official source. It does not mean that nothing applies.