Studded tire removal deadline moved to April 30

WENATCHEE, Wash. – Drivers will have an extra month to remove studded winter tires.

The deadline to remove studded tires was extended to April 30 by the state Department of Transportation in an effort to help reduce spread of COVID-19 by limiting social interactions.

“People are dealing with a lot of concerns – trying to get tires changed by the end of the month doesn’t need to be one of them,” said Maintenance Operations Branch Manager James Morin in a news release.

Studded tires are legal from Nov. 1 to March 31, but the DOT can extend the deadline when necessary – most commonly when forecasts call for widespread snow and ice.

The DOT plans to re-evaluate in late April. If another extension is not granted, studded tires must be removed by midnight May 1 or drivers will face a $136 fine.