Quebec Winter Tire Law: December 1, 2026 to March 15, 2027

Key dates for winter 2026–2027

The dates are fixed in regulation and do not move with the weather: an early snowfall in November does not make winter tires compulsory sooner, and a warm December does not delay the requirement. The same dates apply every year, so next season runs from Wednesday, December 1, 2027 to Wednesday, March 15, 2028.

What the law requires, in plain language

The rule is in the Quebec Highway Safety Code and its regulation on tires designed for winter driving (C-24.2, r. 45). From December 1 to March 15, a motor vehicle registered in Quebec may only be driven if every tire on it is a winter tire. Since a 2019 amendment the rule clearly covers all tires, so two winter tires on the drive axle and two all-seasons on the other is not enough.

A tire counts as a winter tire if it shows the pictogram of a mountain with three peaks and a snowflake (often called the "three-peak mountain snowflake" or 3PMSF symbol), moulded into the sidewall. Since December 15, 2014, older markings such as "M+S", "Winter" or "Snow" alone are no longer accepted. Studded tires used in line with the separate studded tire rules also qualify. Retreaded or remoulded tires for passenger vehicles must likewise have the pictogram or be studded.

Many all-weather tires sold in Canada carry the three-peak symbol and therefore meet Quebec's requirement even though they are not sold as "winter" tires. An all-season tire marked only M+S does not.

Who the rule applies to

• Covered: all motor vehicles registered in Quebec, including passenger cars, SUVs, light trucks and taxis, and rental vehicles. Anyone renting out a vehicle in Quebec must equip it with winter tires, whatever province the vehicle is registered in.
• Not covered: heavy vehicles, tool vehicles and farm machines; trailers; and vehicles registered outside Quebec (a visitor from Ontario or New Brunswick is not fined under this rule, though winter tires are still strongly advised).

Exemptions

• the spare tire;
• motorcycles used as emergency vehicles;
• a vehicle bought from a dealer, for the 7 days after the sale (keep the bill of sale in the vehicle);
• a leased vehicle in the 7 days before the end of a lease of one year or more (keep the lease in the vehicle);
• a vehicle on a dealer plate or a temporary transit registration, while it is valid;
• motor homes;
• a vehicle covered by a 7-day certificate issued by the SAAQ.

The SAAQ certificate is meant for one-off situations, such as driving a vehicle to or from Quebec or moving vehicles between dealers and auctions. You apply through SAAQclic or at a service centre, and the SAAQ may issue no more than four certificates for the same vehicle. The driver must carry the certificate (or the bill of sale or lease, depending on the exemption) and show it to a police officer on request.

Fines and enforcement

Driving a covered vehicle without compliant winter tires during the mandatory period exposes the driver to a fine of $200 to $300. Police check compliance during ordinary roadside stops; there is no separate inspection or registration step. Rental companies have their own obligation to equip the vehicles they rent out in Quebec.

The fine is only part of the risk. If you are in a collision while not complying, your insurer's assessment of the claim can also be affected; read your policy or ask your insurer how it treats non-compliant tires.

Studded tires: October 15 to May 1

Studded tires are governed by a separate regulation (C-24.2, r. 44). They may be used from October 15 to May 1 of the following year on passenger vehicles, taxis and commercial vehicles whose loaded mass does not exceed 3,000 kg. Studs must be fitted at both ends of an axle, and if the front tires are studded, the rear tires must be studded too.

The May 1 end date is firm. It was moved only once, to June 5 in 2020, when pandemic closures prevented many drivers from getting their tires changed; that change applied to 2020 alone.

When to install and remove winter tires

The law sets a deadline, not an ideal date. CAA-Québec advises switching once daily temperatures fall consistently below 7 °C, because all-season rubber stiffens and loses grip in the cold, which in much of Quebec happens well before December. Garages and tire shops are busiest in the last two weeks of November, so booking in October or early November avoids the rush.

In spring, the Government of Quebec recommends waiting a few weeks after March 15 before putting summer or all-season tires back on, since snow and ice are still common in late March and April.

Check your tread

Grooves must never be shallower than 1.6 mm. For winter driving the recommended depth is at least 4.8 mm; a tire that still has the pictogram but is worn close to the legal minimum gives far less grip on snow. The Government of Quebec suggests a 25-cent coin as a quick gauge of how much tread is left; a tire shop can measure it exactly.

How the dates changed

Quebec's winter tire requirement originally began on December 15. A 2018 amendment to the Highway Safety Code and a 2019 regulation (Décret 1118-2019) moved the start to December 1 from the 2019–2020 winter onward, extended the requirement to rental vehicles, made clear that it covers all tires on a vehicle and set the 7-day dealer window. There have been no changes since: the regulation as published in 2026 still sets December 1 to March 15.

How Quebec compares with other provinces

Elsewhere in Canada winter tires are recommended but not required by law. If you drive from Quebec into another province, your Quebec-compliant tires meet BC's highway standard as well.

Common mistakes

• Relying on "M+S". Mud-and-snow tires without the three-peak symbol do not meet Quebec's rule.
• Two winter tires only. All four road tires must comply; only the spare is exempt.
• Waiting until November 30. Shops are fully booked; the first snow often comes earlier.
• Assuming a rental is exempt. Rental companies in Quebec must supply winter tires, even on cars registered elsewhere.
• Keeping studs on into May. Studded tires become illegal after May 1, even if winter tires are no longer required.