A winter roadside check in Italy can turn from routine to expensive in under a minute. One glance at your tyres, a quick look at your car’s registration, and that’s it: ticket written. There’s a detail many drivers miss. It’s tiny, it’s stamped on the rubber, and it can cost you hundreds—even if the tyres are brand new.
Traffic slowed, engines hummed, the officer’s gestures calm and practiced. He didn’t start with the glovebox. He crouched by the front wheel, wiped the sidewall with a thumb, and read the code aloud.
The driver—mid-30s, sensible coat, two kids’ seats in the back—said the tyres were new. Still smelling of the shop. The officer nodded, polite, then pointed at the letters next to the size. Another officer already had the registration card open.
Three letters decided the rest of his morning. Three letters that many of us never notice. Three letters that meant money, time, and a long sigh.
The letters were all that mattered.
The ‘automatic fine’ hiding on your sidewall
The trap sits in plain sight: the speed index on your winter tyres. Those tiny letters—T, H, V, W—must match what’s written in your vehicle registration. During the cold season Italy gives you a break, allowing a lower index for winter tyres. Once mid-May hits, that break ends.
From 16 May, winter tyres with a lower speed index than the one listed on your registration become illegal on public roads. No debate about brand, tread depth, or freshness. Officers check the sidewall, then the card. It takes under 30 seconds.
Police don’t guess. They look for M+S or the Alpine symbol, then zero in on size, load, and speed. If the letters don’t line up outside the winter window, the fine is automatic. No warm handshakes, no “but they’re new.” Just the rule.
Ask Luca, who rolled into a checkpoint on 20 May with brand-new winter tyres. The shop had fitted T-rated rubber; his registration demands V. T is fine in deep winter, with the snowflake and all, but May is not winter in the eyes of the law. He still had the receipt in the console.
The officer explained it clearly. Wrong speed index for the period. Stopwatch speed check not needed. Sidewall versus registration, mismatch. The fine can run from roughly €430 to €1,730, plus temporary withdrawal of the registration card until you fix it and present the car again.
Luca’s jaw tightened. He hadn’t been speeding. The tyres were flawless. He had done a “right thing” and still lost. That sting? Many drivers feel it the first warm week after the grace period ends.
Here’s the logic. Winter tyres in Italy are allowed with a lower speed index than the car’s standard from 15 November to 15 April (with a grace period extending until 15 May to swap back). During that window, a sticker in the cockpit with the tyre’s max speed is required. After 15 May, the lower index becomes a violation.
So, if your registration lists V and you’re on T or H winter tyres in June, you’re exposed. If your winter tyres carry the same or higher index than your registration, you’re fine year-round. M+S means “Mud & Snow”; the 3PMSF snowflake marks tested winter performance. Both are visible, both matter, but neither saves you from the post–15 May index rule.
This is the fine print that catches drivers out. It’s boring to read, easy to forget, and the first thing an officer checks when the temperatures rise. New doesn’t mean compliant.
Do this before you hit a checkpoint
Grab your vehicle registration and walk to a tyre. Read the sidewall like a sentence. You’ll see something like 205/55 R16 91H M+S. The final letter (H here) is the speed index; the number (91) is the load. Compare both to your registration. If the index letter on the tyre is lower, plan a swap before 15 May.
Check for the M+S or 3PMSF symbol so you know what you’re running. During winter, if the index is lower than the registration, place the max-speed sticker near your instruments. Set a reminder on your phone for 1 May. Call your gommista early when everyone else is still thinking about beaches.
We’ve all had that moment when the first sunny day tricks us into postponing the tyre change “just one more week”. Let’s be honest: nobody really does that every day. Still, a 20-minute check in the driveway beats a €400 shock at a blue light.
Common mistakes repeat every spring. People assume “winter tyre” equals “legal until I say so.” It doesn’t. Others match the size but ignore the speed index letter, or forget the load rating altogether. Some keep winter tyres on all summer because the tread is fresh, not realizing braking distances stretch and noise rises.
There’s also the mix-up between M+S and the Alpine snowflake. M+S is a self-declaration; the snowflake is tested performance. Both are fine for winter signage zones, but neither excuses a lower speed index after mid-May. And yes, studded tyres exist, with their own dates and speed caps. Rare in cities, still a rule on paper.
Police don’t need a dynamometer to fine you — they read the sidewall. That’s why your best protection is a calm, methodical check before the season turns. If the letters don’t match, book the swap. If the shop proposes a lower index in April, say no. Your registration is the script; everything else is noise.
“We look at three things first,” a traffic officer in Emilia-Romagna told me. “Size, load, speed. If the speed code is lower after 15 May, there’s no discussion.” He said it kindly, like a mechanic who’s seen the same broken belt a hundred times.
“The tyre can be brand new and premium. If the code is wrong for the period, the ticket is right.”
- Dates to remember: 15 Nov–15 Apr winter window; grace until 15 May to change back.
- Registration rules: size, load, and speed index are binding specs.
- Winter exception: lower speed index allowed only in winter, with a cockpit sticker.
- After 15 May: lower index on winter tyres becomes a violation.
- Quick checkpoint test: officer reads sidewall, compares with registration. Done.
A last thought before the next blue light
Tyres are where the law meets the road, literally. We obsess about horsepower, screens, hybrid modes—and then forget the black rings that carry it all. The “automatic fine” feels harsh until you see what those letters actually mean: the tyre’s safe ceiling when things go wrong.
Spring is when that mismatch bites. Sunny days, busy calendars, a little denial. Swap the tyres, or choose a winter set that matches your car’s index from the start. It’s quieter, safer, and kinder on your wallet. New doesn’t mean compliant.
Share this with the friend who proudly says “I leave winters on all year; they grip more.” He’s not entirely wrong in January. He’s very exposed in June. The blue lights don’t care how shiny the tread looks—only what the sidewall says.
| Point clé | Détail | Intérêt pour le lecteur |
|---|---|---|
| Dates et période de tolérance | 15 Nov–15 Avr + tolérance jusqu’au 15 Mai pour remonter en été | Évite la contravention liée au calendrier |
| Code de vitesse | Doit être égal ou supérieur à celui du certificat d’immatriculation hors période hivernale | Évite l’amende “automatique” au contrôle |
| Contrôle express au poste | Lecture du flanc (taille, charge, vitesse) + comparaison avec le “libretto” | Comprendre ce que l’agent regarde en priorité |
FAQ :
- Which winter tyres trigger the automatic fine?Winter tyres with a speed index lower than the one listed on your registration when used after 15 May.
- What are the official dates I should remember?Winter window from 15 November to 15 April, with a grace period until 15 May to switch back. Local signage can require winter equipment during that window.
- Can I keep winter tyres on in summer?Yes only if their speed index is equal to or higher than the one on your registration. Expect longer braking, more noise, and faster wear in heat.
- Do I need the Alpine snowflake or is M+S enough?M+S is accepted for winter equipment rules; the 3PMSF snowflake signals tested winter grip. Neither changes the speed-index rule after mid-May.
- What happens if I’m fined at a checkpoint?You face a fine (about €430–€1,730) and a temporary withdrawal of the registration certificate until you fit compliant tyres and present the car for verification.
