Legal only in this window. On April 1 and after you can be cited: a Class C violation with a $165 presumptive fine.
Winter tires in Bend, Oregon
When to switch, which tires Bend actually needs, Oregon’s stud dates and chain law, and the local shops that do it, so you are not the one sliding through the roundabout in November.
Frosty forest road near Bend. Photo: All Things Bend
The short answer
When to put winter tires on in Bend
Book in early October. Be rolling on them by the first week of November. Studs become legal on November 1, and Bend tire shops fill their calendars fast after the first snow. Studless and all-weather tires can go on as soon as nights are reliably below freezing.
Bend averages about 21.6 inches of snow a year, sits at 3,625 feet, and freezes hard on clear nights. In town the problem is usually morning ice, not deep snow. Head up Century Drive toward Mt. Bachelor or over Santiam Pass and it is a different winter entirely.
- Early OctBook your appointment. Check tread with a quarter.
- Late OctAll-weather or studless can go on with the first hard freezes.
- Nov 1Studded tires legal in Oregon.
- Nov–MarCarry chains. Check TripCheck before mountain trips.
- Mar 31Last legal day for studs. April 1: $165 ticket risk.
Oregon law, in plain English
The rules that actually matter
Studded, retractable-stud, or severe-snow tires with the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol. “M+S” alone does not count.
Traction tires can replace chains on vehicles 10,000 lbs GVW or less that are not towing. When signs say chains for all vehicles, chain up.
$4 a day, $9 for three days, $25 a season (plus any agent fee) to park at Sno-Parks like those along Century Drive.
Signs you will see: “Carry chains or traction tires” means have them in the car. “Chains required” means put them on, unless the sign allows traction tires for your vehicle. Live status: TripCheck.
Know what you are buying
All-season vs all-weather vs studless vs studded
All-season (M+S)
Not a traction tire unless it also has the snowflake symbol
Fine for a car that stays in town and waits out storms. Not enough for Bachelor or the passes.
All-weather (3PMSF)
Counts as a traction tire (mountain-snowflake symbol). Legal all year.
The easy Bend answer for many drivers: one set, year-round, real snow grip.
Studless winter
Traction tire. Legal all year, but wears fast in summer heat.
Best snow traction without studs. Great for Bachelor and Santiam Pass trips.
Studded winter
Traction tire. Only legal Nov 1 to Mar 31 in Oregon.
Best on glare ice and early-morning black ice. Noisy and hard on roads.
Chains or cables
Meets chain requirements. Never drive on bare pavement with them.
Keep a set in the car even with good tires. Practice once in the driveway.
30-second picker
Which winter setup fits how you drive?
Where to get it done
Bend tire shops for winter tires and changeovers
Each checked on its own website in October 2026. Call or book online early; the week after the first snow is chaos at every shop in town.
3 Bend stores
Les Schwab Tire Centers
📍 NE 3rd St · S Hwy 97 (61085) · Hunnell Rd (63590)
The Central Oregon default. Started in Prineville in 1952 and now headquartered in Bend, with three stores in town.
- Stores at 210 NE 3rd St, 61085 S Highway 97 and 63590 Hunnell Rd
- Book appointments online for seasonal changeovers
- Studded, studless and all-weather options
North end
Discount Tire
📍 63553 N Hwy 97, near Cooley Rd
Winter tire and wheel packages, and changeovers for sets you already own.
- Can stud new winter tires or build a tire-and-wheel package
- Walk-ins welcome; appointments recommended in late fall
- On the north end near Cooley Rd and Lowe’s
Independent
Bend Tire Professionals
📍 20571 Empire Ave
An independent shop for tires plus mechanical repair, handy if the car needs brakes or an alignment too.
- Tires and mechanical repairs
- Posted fall rebates on Cooper and Goodyear sets through Nov 30, 2026
- Northeast Bend, off Empire Ave
Since 2007
NW Wheel & Tire
📍 61579 American Loop, SE Bend
Wheel and tire specialists for trucks, lifted rigs and anyone shopping a dedicated winter wheel set.
- Seasonal winter changeovers
- Alignments, suspension, wheel repair and powder coating
- Established in Bend in 2007
NE 3rd St
Central Tire
📍 2115 NE 3rd St
A 3rd Street option for studded tires, alignments and auto repair.
- Tires and auto repair
- Central location on NE 3rd St
- Holiday hours vary; call ahead
Also worth knowing
- Your dealership can do changeovers too, and some store sets. They are a good call for EVs and AWD systems that are picky about matching tread depth.
- A second set of wheels costs more up front but makes every swap faster and cheaper, and saves your tire beads. Ask shops for a winter wheel package.
- Mechanic needed too? Brakes, batteries and alignments: see our Bend mechanics guide.
Local knowledge
Driving Bend’s winter roads
To Mt. Bachelor
Climbs from about 3,600 feet in town to over 6,000 feet at the lodges in roughly 22 miles. Often “carry chains” here even when other mountain roads require them, but it can flip fast. Check Mt. Bachelor’s road report and TripCheck before you leave town.
Santiam Pass
The way to Salem and the valley. Heavy snow and long chain-up areas; traction tires and chains in the car all winter. Watch the TripCheck cameras.
Redmond, Sunriver, La Pine
Usually plowed and treated, but early-morning black ice is common, especially south toward Sunriver and La Pine.
Hills and roundabouts
Shaded west-side hills (Awbrey Butte, NW Crossing) and roundabouts glaze over first. Brake before the circle, not in it.
Bend’s winter, by the numbers
When the snow and ice actually show up
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the Bend weather station. The surprise for most newcomers: freezing nights start long before the snow, and keep going well after studs have to come off.
Oct0.2″ snow13.9 freezeslow 33.7°
Nov2″ snow20.6 freezeslow 28.2°
Dec5.3″ snow26.2 freezeslow 23.3°
Jan6.4″ snow25 freezeslow 24.6°
Feb5.5″ snow24.2 freezeslow 24.3°
Mar1.5″ snow24.1 freezeslow 27.6°
Apr0.7″ snow19.4 freezeslow 30.5°
May0″ snow9 freezeslow 37°
Average snowfallNights at or below 32°F
October already freezes
About 14 freezing nights on average, but studs are not legal until November 1. Studless or 3PMSF all-weather tires cover that gap.
December–February is the core
Over 17 inches of Bend’s 21.6-inch average falls in these three months, with 24–26 freezing nights a month.
April still bites
Around 19 freezing nights in April, after studs must come off on March 31. Another reason studless and all-weather tires make sense in Bend.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station Bend (USC00350694). More in Bend by the numbers.
Is it time for new tires?
Tread depth: legal is not the same as safe in snow
Oregon’s legal minimum is 2/32 of an inch (Oregon Administrative Rule 735-124-0150). That is bald for snow purposes. Tires need deep, open grooves to bite into snow and push slush away.
- Quarter test: put a quarter upside down in the tread. If you can see the top of Washington’s head, you are at about 4/32 or less, too worn for a Bend winter.
- Penny test: if you can see all of Lincoln’s head, you are near 2/32. Replace them now.
- Check all four, inside and outside edges. Uneven wear can mean an alignment problem, which most of the shops above can fix the same day.
- Age matters too: rubber hardens with time. Shops can read the four-digit date code on the sidewall; old winter tires lose grip even with tread left.
How Bend clears the streets
Your street may be the last one plowed
Priority One
Main arterials and the major routes emergency services rely on. Plowed and treated first.
Priority Two
Collectors that feed the arterials, plus routes to schools and medical facilities and steep or curvy streets.
Residential streets
Only after Priority One and Two are done, sometimes with contractors in big storms. The City does not maintain private streets, alleys or apartment complexes.
What that means for you: the hill out of your neighborhood can stay packed snow and ice for a day or more after a storm. That first and last half mile is where good winter tires earn their keep. The City has said plowing typically starts once about 2 inches accumulate, and it posts a live Winter Operations Map showing which streets have been plowed, sanded or de-iced.
While you are at it: Bend requires residents to clear the sidewalk in front of their home within 24 hours after snowfall (businesses within 6 daylight hours), and the snow has to stay on your property, not get pushed into the street.
Chains 101
Carry them, and know how to use them
Buy the right size
Chains are sized to your tire, printed on the sidewall (for example 225/65R17). If you swap to a different winter tire size, check that your chains still fit.
Check your car’s manual
Some cars have tight wheel wells and only allow low-profile cables, or chains on certain wheels. The manual tells you which wheels get chains (usually the drive wheels).
Practice in the driveway
The first time should not be in the dark at a chain-up area on Santiam Pass. A 10-minute dry run in the driveway makes the real thing easy.
Drive slow, take them off
Most chain makers set a low speed limit, often around 30 mph. Take them off as soon as you reach bare pavement; driving on dry road breaks chains and damages tires.
Pack a chain kit
Gloves, a waterproof mat or garbage bag to kneel on, a headlamp, and a few bungee cords for loose ends.
Rental car from RDM?
Many rental cars come on all-season tires, and some rental agreements limit chain use. Ask at the counter before you plan a Bachelor day or a pass crossing.
Your vehicle
AWD, trucks and EVs in a Bend winter
All-wheel drive helps you get going; it does nothing for stopping or turning on ice. AWD on all-season tires is the most common rig in a Bend ditch. Put traction tires on all four, and keep matching tread depths, since many AWD systems are sensitive to mismatched tires.
An empty bed is light over the drive wheels. Winter tires make the biggest difference here. Some drivers add secured weight over the rear axle; tie it down so it cannot become a projectile.
EVs are heavy and have instant torque, so they need winter tires with the right load rating (often XL) and gentle throttle. Expect shorter range on cold Bend mornings; preconditioning while plugged in helps.
Higher center of gravity and more weight make traction tires and chains even more important on Century Drive and the passes. Check that chains fit the van’s larger tires.
The stud question
Studded tires: pros, cons and fine print
Why people choose them
- Best grip on glare ice and early-morning black ice
- Confidence on dawn commutes to Redmond, Sunriver and La Pine
- Help on the shaded, icy hills of the west side
The trade-offs
- Only legal November 1 to March 31, so two swaps a year
- Louder, and slightly worse on dry or wet bare pavement
- They wear grooves into roads, which is why ODOT encourages non-studded traction tires
- Studs go into new tires; you cannot re-stud worn ones
If you choose studs, put them on all four wheels so the car behaves predictably, and expect a short break-in period as the studs seat.
The off-season set
Storing tires in a Bend garage
Clean and dry
Wash off road grime and deicer, let them dry, and mark each tire’s position (LF, RF, LR, RR) with chalk so they rotate next season.
Out of the sun
High-desert UV ages rubber fast. Keep them inside, away from windows, and away from furnaces, water heaters or electric motors, which give off ozone.
Stack smart
Mounted on wheels: stack them flat or hang them. Without wheels: stand them upright and rotate them every month or so.
Bag them
Tire storage bags keep dust and critters out. A dedicated set of wheels makes every swap faster and cheaper.
Before the first snow
The Bend winter car checklist
FAQ
Questions Bend owners ask
When can I put studded tires on in Oregon?
Studded tires are legal in Oregon from November 1 through March 31. Drivers still running studs on or after April 1 can be cited for a Class C violation with a $165 presumptive fine. Non-studded traction tires are legal all year.
When should I put winter tires on in Bend?
Book your appointment in early to mid October and have them on by the first week of November. Bend shops get slammed after the first snow, and snow can show up before Halloween in some years. If you run studless or all-weather tires, you can switch as soon as nights are consistently freezing.
Do I need chains if I have traction tires?
Under Oregon’s chain law, traction tires (studded, retractable-stud, or tires rated for severe snow with the mountain-snowflake symbol) can be used in place of chains on vehicles rated 10,000 pounds GVW or less that are not towing. When signs say chains are required for all vehicles, you need chains. Carry them either way.
What counts as a traction tire in Oregon?
Studded tires, retractable studded tires, or other tires that meet the industry definition for severe snow, which in practice means the three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) symbol on the sidewall. An “M+S” marking alone does not make a tire a traction tire.
Studded or studless for Bend?
If you drive early mornings, commute to Redmond or Sunriver, or live up a hill on the west side, studs give the most grip on ice. If you mostly drive in town after the plows, or want a quieter set you can leave on longer, studless winters or 3PMSF all-weathers are excellent and easier on the roads. ODOT encourages non-studded traction tires where they work for you.
Do I need chains to drive to Mt. Bachelor?
Often you only need to carry them on Century Drive to Mt. Bachelor while other mountain roads require them, but conditions change hourly. Check TripCheck and Mt. Bachelor’s road report before you go, and carry chains or run traction tires all winter.
Do I need a Sno-Park permit?
Yes, to park at Oregon Sno-Parks (including the ones along Century Drive) from November 1 through April 30. Permits are $4 a day, $9 for three days or $25 for the season, plus any agent fee, and are sold by DMV, resorts and many local shops.
Why does my tire light come on when it gets cold?
Tire pressure drops roughly 1 psi for every 10°F the temperature falls. The first cold Bend morning often trips the low-pressure light. Top up to the pressure on your door sticker when the tires are cold.
What is the legal minimum tire tread in Oregon?
Oregon Administrative Rule 735-124-0150 sets a minimum of 2/32 of an inch. That is far too little for snow; most drivers should replace winter tires well before they get near it. The quarter test (Washington’s head) is a good Bend-winter check.
How much snow does Bend get?
About 21.6 inches a year in town on average, per NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals, with most of it from December through February. Freezing nights are the bigger issue: about 14 in October and 19 in April, outside the stud season.
Does the City of Bend plow residential streets?
Eventually. Bend plows Priority One arterials and Priority Two collectors, school and medical routes and steep streets first, then residential streets, sometimes with contractors in big storms. Private streets, alleys and apartment complexes are not maintained by the City.
Are all-season tires OK in Bend?
For a car that stays in town and can wait out storms, many people manage. But all-season tires with only an M+S marking are not traction tires under Oregon law, and they are not enough for Mt. Bachelor or the passes. A 3PMSF all-weather tire is the easy upgrade.
How we checked
Studded-tire dates, the traction-tire definition and the chain-law exemption come from ODOT and TripCheck's chain law page; the $165 fine from ODOT's end-of-season notices; Sno-Park fees from the DMV permit form and TripCheck; Bend's 21.6-inch average snowfall from NOAA 1991–2020 normals (see Bend by the numbers). Shops were checked on their own websites in October 2026. We dropped two shops from the old version of this page whose websites no longer work.
Updated October 22, 2026. Nobody paid to be listed here. Prices change, so confirm with the business before you sign anything. Suggest a fix or a business we missed.
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