Penalties for summer tires in Belarus 2026: how much you have to pay and why you can not wait until December

Winter is coming, which means that it is time for motorists to change not only shoes, but also tires. From December 1, a mandatory period for the use of seasonal rubber comes into force in Belarus. Violators are waiting not only for traditional traffic police raids, but also a tangible blow to the wallet. ONT.by has prepared a detailed guide: when exactly you need to “change shoes”, how many basic values threatens for summer tires, which tires are considered winter and what will happen to insurance if an accident occurred in the “summer”.

Legal deadlines: When is summer rubber banned?

It is important to remember that changing summer tires to winter tires is not just a formality for avoiding a fine. Safety on the roads depends on it. Officially, winter tires must be on the car from December 1 to March 1 - this is indicated in paragraph 207-1 of the Traffic Rules of the Republic of Belarus. The requirement applies to cars with a technically permissible total weight up to 3.5 tons inclusive, passenger cars and passenger cars over 3.5 tons, as well as buses weighing up to 5 tons. But in addition to documented safety rules, you should pay attention to weather conditions. Summer rubber begins to tan at an average daily temperature below +7 ° C. It loses its coupling properties and creates conditions for an accident. So the best time for a trip to the tires is the end of October or the first half of November, when stable morning frosts begin.

At the same time, even if in the last months of autumn snow fell, and you have not yet rebuilt the car – a fine will not follow. Administrative liability comes strictly from December 1. However, the traffic police strongly recommend not to delay until the last

How much will you spend on fines in 2026?

If the driver decided to save on tires and their health, then you will have to pay in full. When driving without winter tires in the period from 01.12 to 01.03 for the first time threatens a warning or a fine of up to 1 base value (45 rubles), as stated in part 2 of article 18.11 of the administrative code. To do only symbolic damage to reputation and fully protect the wallet from a fine, the driver needs to admit his guilt on the spot and have a clean history of travel without similar “winter” violations over the past year. In this case, the law allows the inspector to limit himself only to an official warning.

If you repeat the violation within a year, the damage will be more tangible - a fine from 2 to 5 base values (90-225 rubles), according to part 8 of article 18.11 of the administrative code.

What if you have a summer tire accident? Then everything changes dramatically. Even if this is the first offense, the warning does not apply, and the fines are significantly higher. In addition to the cost of restoring the car and health, you will have to pay a fine from 2 to 30 basic values (90-1350 rubles) or lose your rights for two years.

If the driver thinks he will be saved by insurance, this may not be the case at all. In case of an accident on summer tires, insurance and the court will look at the tires in the first place.

According to CASCO (voluntary insurance), payment for damage to your own car is likely to be denied. In the rules of most insurance companies of Belarus (for example, Centaur CJSC), the use of summer rubber in winter is fixed as a basis for official refusal. Even if there is no such direct clause, insurers will refer to the Traffic Rules, which oblige drivers to use winter tires from December 1 to March 1. Traffic violation is interpreted by companies as a gross violation of the rules of operation of the car, which cancels the payment for your fault.

According to OSAGO (mandatory insurance), the insurance company will pay damage to the affected party in any case - this is a strict requirement of the Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus No. 108 "On Insurance", but there is a nuance. For the culprit of the accident on summer tires there is a hidden legal trap. There is no automatic recovery of money (regression) for the fact of summer rubber in the law. But if the autotechnical examination proves that it was the wrong tires that became the technical cause of the accident (for example, because of them, the car slipped on ice and the braking distance increased), the insurance company has the right through the court to recover the entire amount of damage paid from the culprit.

What do you need to wear to avoid getting a penalty?

The choice of tires is not so easy either. It is important to take into account not only the type, but also the height of the tread, marking and even shelf life. Let's get this straight.

For Minsk and regional centers suitable European type ("Eurowinter"). This rubber is created for mild urban winter, wet asphalt and chemical slurry, which turns snow after treatment with reagents. However, outside the city, its effectiveness is declining: it will be extremely difficult to overcome a deep snowdrift or keep the car on an icy suburban highway.

Scandinavian "Velcros" are designed for regions with harsh climates and will be the best solution if you live outside the city or often move on uncleared roads. The specific soft composition of rubber literally “sticks” to the rolled snow naste and icy coating even in extreme frost. But driving on the dry spring asphalt instantly removes the soft tread.

The only type of wheel that can guarantee safety on bare smooth ice and wet ice crust is studded rubber. But for Belarusian winters, this is not the best choice. For most of the season, you will have to pinch metal inserts on the cleaned coating. This leads to a constant hum in the cabin, fuel is consumed more and a high probability of losing the spikes themselves. In addition, such wheels will put an end to road travel to the European Union. In many countries (for example, in Poland and Lithuania) spikes are strictly prohibited.

Tyre type

Under what conditions is suitable

Advantages

Disadvantages and limitations

European type ("Eurowinter")

Soft urban winter, wet asphalt, chemical slurry after reagents.

Effective in the conditions of Minsk and regional centers.

Outside the city, efficiency is falling; it is difficult to overcome a deep snowdrift or keep a car on an icy suburban highway.

Scandinavian Velcros

Regions with a harsh climate, uncleared roads, life outside the city.

The soft composition “sticks” to the rolled snow naste and icy surface even in extreme frost.

Driving on the dry spring asphalt instantly removes the soft tread.

Studded rubber

Naked smooth ice and wet ice crust.

It is the only type that guarantees safety on the ice.

Tsokanja on the cleaned coating causes a hum in the cabin; increased fuel consumption; high probability of losing spikes; a ban on entry to many EU countries.

We'll deal with the tread next. Its minimum height for winter tires is at least 4 mm. And even if your car formally are winter tires, but they "bald" and became below this mark - a fine from 1 to 3 base values (45-135 rubles) will follow.

Control over compliance with the requirements for tyres is within the powers of the traffic police (Article 11 of the Law “On Road Traffic”). To measure the residual depth of the tread, special devices are used (bar, depth gauge). It is produced at several points along the width of the tread. So do not think that with a fine “carry”.

Don’t just trust your appearance. Be sure to check the age of the rubber. Even if the tread seems perfect, but the wheels have been dusting on the garage shelves for years, time still takes its toll. The chemical composition of tires inevitably ages and degrades. It is possible to safely operate winter tires on average for no more than 5-6 years. After this period, the rubber dries, blows in the cold and irretrievably loses its elasticity. At a critical moment, such “aged” wheels simply will not be able to catch the road, which will lead to an accident.

It is also important to take into account that winter tires are marked in one of the following ways:

1. 1.Sign "mountain peak with three peaks and a snowflake" (the official international symbol of the winter tire);
2. 2."M+S";
3. 3."M&S";
4. 4."M.S.";
5. 5."M S";
6. 6.All seasons" (all seasons), but without snowflakes, they may not count as winter tires by the inspector. In this case, the motorist will receive a fine. So it is recommended to have tyres with the official snowflake symbol or M+S marking.

Attempting to pass a hospital inspection in the middle of winter on summer tires is doomed to failure. From December 1 to March 1, specialists of diagnostic stations evaluate the “footwear” of a car with a special addiction. The requirement is categorical: in calendar winter, the wheels of cars must have a winter tread. The car on summer tires inspectors deployed immediately, recognizing it technically not ready for safe travel.

And remember that replacing tires on time is not just about not getting fines. If all the rules are taken into account, this will reduce the risk of an accident on winter roads. Human lives are worth more than four wheels.

Read also:

Prices for used cars in Belarus in the autumn of 2026: buy now or wait for winter | News of society | ONT

How has the car market in Belarus changed in February 2026? | Economic news | ONT

Preparation of the car for the autumn-winter season: checklist of antifreeze checks, battery and wiper brushes | Technology news | ONT

Author: Emilia Rachitskaya

Photo: BELTA