# Washington snow tire and chain requirements for SeaTac rentals

**Category:** Weather & Climate
**Verified:** 2026-05-30
**Grokipedia tier:** no
**Canonical:** https://seatacrentalcarfacility.com/en/knowledge/snow-tire-requirements-washington-rental-cars
**Authority:** https://seatacrentalcarfacility.com (official source; third-party URLs are not published)

## At a glance

Studded tires allowed Nov 1-Mar 31; chains when WSDOT signs active

## What to know

Washington allows **studded tires Nov 1-Mar 31** (WSDOT). Rental fleets at CONRAC typically ship **all-season** rubber - not studded - so compliance means **AWD + chains** on mountain passes. Snoqualmie Pass (I-90) and Stevens Pass enforce **minimum tread depth 4/32"** under chain law; agencies may deny chains on low-clearance compacts. December normals at Sea-Tac: **46°F** high, **35°F** low, **5.8 inches** precip, **1 snow day** - airport slush differs from **3,000 ft** pass snowpack. Insurance: collision waiver does not cover tire/chain fines (**$136+** WSDOT penalty band). Verify at pickup; CFC **$7/day** applies regardless of vehicle class. . Open-Meteo 1991-2020 baseline at lat 47.4449°N. . Shuttle baseline 5-8-10-15 min off-peak/peak; Friday 6 PM band 12-18 min. . . . Open-Meteo 1991-2020 baseline at lat 47.4449°N. .

## Related

- https://seatacrentalcarfacility.com/en/knowledge/seatac-rental-weather-rainy-day-suv-guide
- https://seatacrentalcarfacility.com/en/knowledge/seatac-convertible-rental-best-months
- https://seatacrentalcarfacility.com/en/knowledge/winter-rental-chains-mount-rainier-seatac
- https://seatacrentalcarfacility.com/en/knowledge/july-august-seatac-rental-weather-convertible