When to Put On Winter Tires (and When to Take Them Off)

The best date to switch to winter tires is set by the temperature, not the calendar. The exceptions are places where the law sets a date.

TireShopper does not test products. This guide pulls together what tire makers, AAA and government agencies say about timing, swapping and storage.

Go by temperature

The guideline from tire makers is about 45°F, which is about 7°C.

• Michelin recommends installing winter tires when daily temperatures consistently fall below 45°F, rather than waiting for snow.
• Michelin Canada says to switch when the average daily temperature consistently drops below 7°C, which it says typically happens in October or early November.
• AAA's general rule is to switch when your local climate consistently drops below 45°F. It suggests noting early-morning temperatures, since those are usually coldest, and says to switch based on temperature and not the calendar.
• Transport Canada says all-season and summer tires begin to lose elasticity below 7°C, which means less traction.

Michelin's word is "consistently", which points to a run of cold days and not a single cold night.

AAA says that for most drivers this means installing them in late fall, before the first winter storm. Your own area may differ, so watch the forecast and your local temperatures.

Check the legal date

Where the law sets a date, it overrides the thermometer.

• Quebec. The SAAQ says winter tires are mandatory from December 1 to March 15 inclusive for vehicles registered in Quebec. It says it is highly recommended to fit them before December 1, since temperatures often fall below 7°C earlier.
• British Columbia. The BC government says winter tires or chains are required on most signed routes from October 1 to April 30, and the requirement ends March 31 on some highways.

Other rules depend on the road and conditions. See winter tire laws in Canada and the US for details and sources.

When to take them off

Winter tires are meant for the cold season.

• AAA says to switch back to all-season tires once daily temperatures steadily stay above 45°F.
• Michelin Canada says winter tires wear faster in warm weather, so switch back once temperatures rise above 7°C.
• In Quebec the law runs to March 15. The Quebec government recommends waiting a few weeks after that before installing all-season or summer tires.

Michelin USA's seasonal tire FAQ says that fitting winter tires early in cold weather doesn't significantly speed up wear. The practical reading: put them on when the cold arrives, and take them off when the cold ends, rather than leaving them on all summer.

Swap the tires or buy a second set of wheels

You have two ways to run a winter set.

Swap the tires on one set of wheels. The shop removes the tire from the wheel and mounts the other. AAA puts mounting and balancing at roughly $60 to $300 per set. You buy only tires.

Keep a second set of tires on their own wheels. The shop bolts the whole assembly on. AAA says a seasonal swap like this costs about $60 to $80 per set. The trade-off is the wheels. AAA says a basic set of steel wheels starts around $90 each, and a set of four can cost $400 or more. AAA also says many drivers with premium wheels buy a cheaper set for winter to protect the good ones from salt and road damage.

Ask your installer whether your winter wheels need their own TPMS sensors. Our guide to tire pressure and TPMS basics explains how the system works.

The Tire and Rubber Association of Canada's cost calculator compares these two options with a single set of tires. It counts installation, seasonal changeover, storage, and wheel purchase. Use it with your own quotes.

If you plan to buy a second set of wheels in a different size, read winter tire sizes: same size or minus sizing first.

On swap day

• Note the positions. Michelin says to note each tire's position on the vehicle before removing it, so you can rotate them correctly when you remount them. Our guide to tire rotation and alignment basics covers patterns.
• Check the tread. Transport Canada says not to use tires with less than 4 mm of tread, and that tires worn close to 4 mm (5/32 inch) should not be used on snow-covered roads.
• Check the age. Michelin Canada's storage page says tires over 6 years old should be professionally inspected before use and tires over 10 years old should be replaced. Our tire date code guide shows how to read the age.
• Torque the wheel nuts. Continental says lug nuts must be tightened to the vehicle maker's specification in the owner's handbook, with a torque wrench. It describes setting the wrench to half the required torque, tightening in a crisscross pattern, then tightening to the full value. It also recommends checking the nuts after about 50 km of driving and retorquing if needed. Garages often offer that check free, Continental says.
• Set the pressure. Michelin says tires lose about 1 PSI for every 10°F drop in temperature, and that you should use the vehicle maker's pressure from the placard or owner's manual, not the figure on the sidewall.

Storing the off-season set

Michelin's storage guidance, from its Canadian and US pages:

• Clean the tires and wheels, remove stones from the tread, dry them well, and check for damage or uneven wear.
• Store them indoors in a cool, dark, dry, clean place, away from direct sunlight, heat sources and ozone sources such as electric motors.
• Keep them off bare concrete, which can draw in moisture. Use a pallet or storage bag.
• Keep storage surfaces free of grease, gasoline, solvents and oils.
• Tires on wheels: hang them or stack them horizontally. Michelin says not to stand them upright on the wheel.
• Tires off wheels: stand them upright. Do not stack or hang them.
• Outdoor storage is only for a short time. Raise them off the ground and use a waterproof cover with ventilation holes.

Michelin Canada says that under ideal conditions tires can last several years in storage. Poor conditions, such as outdoors in sunlight or near heat, can crack them within one season. Check any stored tire for cracks, stiffness and sidewall damage before you remount it.

Shops and dealerships often offer seasonal storage. AAA puts it at roughly $50 to $150 per season.

Where to look

These links go to Amazon search results, not to a particular product. You choose what to open and compare:

• Torque wrenches (Amazon search, opens in a new tab) (use the torque value in your owner's manual and a socket that fits your wheel nuts)
• Tire storage bags (Amazon search, opens in a new tab)
• Tire storage racks (Amazon search, opens in a new tab)
• Tread depth gauges (Amazon search, opens in a new tab)
• Tire pressure gauges (Amazon search, opens in a new tab) (see our gauge guide)