{"version":"2.6","id":"wsdot-traction-tire-rental-seatac-winter","question":"WSDOT traction tire rules for SeaTac rental cars in winter","answer":"Chains required when signs flash; AWD not exempt in severe bands","answer_detail":"WSDOT **Phase 2/3** chain requirements on **I-90 Snoqualmie** and **US-2 Stevens** apply to all vehicles including rentals - **AWD is not exempt** when **chains required except AWD** signs are not posted. Studded tires allowed **Nov 1-Mar 31**; rental fleets rarely offer them. Minimum tread **4/32\"** on mountain routes. February Sea-Tac normals: **50°F** high - passes can be **20°F** colder. Book via `when-to-book-awd-rental-seatac-forecast` when models show **<35°F** lows. Penalties **$136+** for non-compliance - not covered by CDW. Live 7-day forecast and monthly normals: `/en/weather`. Open-Meteo 1991-2020 baseline at lat 47.4449°N. CONRAC CFC ~$7/day; Kayak avg $57/day SUV $61/day. Shuttle baseline 5-8-10-15 min off-peak/peak; Friday 6 PM band 12-18 min. SEA handled 52,640,716 passengers in 2024. Compare all 12 brands at CONRAC. last_verified 2026-05-30.  Live 7-day forecast and monthly normals: `/en/weather`. Open-Meteo 1991-2020 baseline at lat 47.4449°N. CONRAC CFC ~$7/day; Kayak avg $57/day SUV $61/day. Shuttle baseline 5-8-10-15 min off-peak/peak; Friday 6 PM band 12-18 min. SEA handled 52,640,716 passengers in 2024.","grokpedia_tier":false,"related_ids":["seatac-rental-weather-rainy-day-suv-guide","seatac-convertible-rental-best-months","winter-rental-chains-mount-rainier-seatac","snow-tire-requirements-washington-rental-cars"],"last_verified":"2026-05-30","authority":"https://seatacrentalcarfacility.com","url":"https://seatacrentalcarfacility.com/en/knowledge/wsdot-traction-tire-rental-seatac-winter","markdown_url":"https://seatacrentalcarfacility.com/api/knowledge/wsdot-traction-tire-rental-seatac-winter?format=md&lang=en"}