From 15 November to 15 April, many roads in Italy require winter tyres or snow chains on board, and a few mountain areas start in October. The rule is not nationwide: it applies where a road sign says so, mostly in the Alps, the Apennines and on mountain roads in the south. Most rental cars at Italian airports come without winter tyres, so for a winter trip into the mountains the winter equipment is something you choose when you book, not something you get automatically.
This guide covers where the rules apply region by region, which rental companies include snow chains or offer winter tyres, which airport to fly into for a ski trip, the winter rules across the border and what you risk without winter equipment.
Data last verified: October 2026. Written by Simas Krasaitis, founder of Autorentwiz and former head of car rental at ADCRent.
Short on time? The key facts:
- Dates: 15 November to 15 April on roads with the winter sign, and also outside these dates when there is snow or ice.
- Stricter areas: the Aosta Valley starts on 15 October. In South Tyrol and Trentino the rule covers all roads outside towns, and on the A22 Brenner motorway it applies even when there is no snow.
- What counts: winter tyres marked M+S, or snow chains that fit your tyres, carried in the car.
- Rental cars: most come without winter tyres, but where winter equipment is mandatory, rental companies must include snow chains or winter tyres at no extra cost. Winter tyres are rare and usually a paid extra.
- Fine: 87-344 EUR outside towns, and the police can stop the car until it has chains or winter tyres.
Where to book a rental car in Italy for a winter trip
Book through Autorentwiz and you get the same companies, cars and rental conditions as on Discovercars, with our discount already applied, so the same car costs less. We can give the discount because our booking partner pays us a commission, and we give part of it back to you.
- Book online yourself: our search shows all the companies at your pick-up location, and the discount is applied automatically.
- Free consultation by car rental experts on Messenger: send us your dates, card and landing time, and we pick the offers that fit. The discount is the same as with the search button.
- Help before, during and after the rental: if something goes wrong at the desk, message us and we help sort it out.
Want to check? Open the same car on Discovercars and you will see a higher price than in our search.
Are winter tyres mandatory in Italy?
Not on every road. Italy has no single winter tyre rule for the whole country. Under a 2013 directive of the Ministry of Infrastructure, whoever runs a road, such as ANAS for the state roads, the motorway companies, the regions and the provinces, issues an order for the roads at risk of snow. Where an order applies, a round blue sign with a tyre and a chain shows it, usually with a panel giving the dates. On those roads, from 15 November to 15 April, your car must have winter tyres fitted or snow chains on board.
The ANAS orders also say that the rule applies outside those dates whenever there is snow or ice on the road. Il Sole 24 Ore, Italy’s business daily, sums up the current rules in its English guide to winter tyres.
What counts as winter equipment
- Winter tyres marked M+S (also written MS or M&S). The snowflake symbol on a mountain (3PMSF) means better grip on snow, but in Italy M+S is enough.
- All-season tyres, if they carry the M+S marking.
- Snow chains carried in the car, in the size that fits its tyres. You fit them only when the road is covered with snow or ice, and with chains on you drive at 50 km/h at most.
- Snow socks, textile covers for the tyres, if they are an approved type.
Where the rules are stricter
- Aosta Valley: from 15 October to 15 April on the main state roads, including the SS26 to the Mont Blanc tunnel and the Little St Bernard Pass and the SS27 to the Great St Bernard. Most rental conditions we checked say winter tyres are mandatory on all roads in the Aosta Valley in this period.
- South Tyrol and Trentino: from 15 November to 15 April on all state and provincial roads outside built-up areas.
- A22 Brenner motorway: from 15 November to 15 April, winter tyres fitted or chains on board are required even when there is no snow. Autostrada del Brennero publishes the current orders in English.
- Mountains around Turin: some roads in the province of Turin apply the rule from 1 November to 30 April.
Where in Italy you need winter equipment: region by region
Tap a region on the map to see its rule and the airports nearby. The map and the table show the rules of winter 2025-26, the latest published in full. ANAS usually publishes the new orders in mid-November. The dates rarely change, but the list of roads can, so check your route before you go.
Where you need winter tyres or chains in Italy
Tap or hover over a region to see the rule and the airports nearby.
Choose a region
The darker the colour, the wider the rule. The orange dots are the airports in our guides.
- Strictest rules: all roads outside towns (Trentino-South Tyrol) or from 15 October (Aosta Valley)
- State roads across the region
- Only mountain stretches exposed to snow
- Airports in our guides
Based on the winter 2025-26 orders. The rule applies where the winter sign is, so check the signs on your route.
| Area | Where the rule applies | Airports nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Aosta Valley and Piedmont | Aosta Valley from 15 October. ANAS roads at risk of snow in Piedmont, and some mountain roads around Turin from 1 November | Turin, Milan Malpensa |
| Lombardy | All ANAS state roads, and signposted provincial roads, ring roads and motorways | Bergamo, Milan Malpensa, Milan Linate |
| Trentino-South Tyrol | All state and provincial roads outside built-up areas, and the whole A22 even without snow | Verona |
| Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia | Veneto state roads at risk of snow, and motorways in Friuli Venezia Giulia such as the A4 and the A23 | Venice Marco Polo, Treviso, Trieste |
| Liguria, Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany | ANAS state roads in Liguria and Tuscany, including the Raccordo Firenze-Siena, provincial roads around Bologna and the motorways across the Apennines | Genoa, Bologna, Rimini, Florence, Pisa |
| Lazio, Umbria and Abruzzo | ANAS state roads at risk of snow. Heavy snow often closes the road across Campo Imperatore | Rome Fiumicino, Rome Ciampino, Pescara |
| Campania, Puglia and Basilicata | ANAS stretches exposed to snow, mostly inland and in the mountains | Naples, Bari, Brindisi |
| Calabria | All state roads and some sections of the A2 | Lamezia Terme, Reggio Calabria |
| Sicily | ANAS roads exposed to snow from 15 November to 15 March, and the provincial roads on Etna until 15 April | Catania, Palermo, Trapani |
| Sardinia | The SS131 between km 137.9 and 179.5 from 1 December to 15 March, and the SS389 between Nuoro and Lanusei from 15 November to 15 March | Olbia, Cagliari, Alghero |
On the motorways, each operator sets its own sections, and the winter sign at the entrance shows where the rule starts. For a city break in Rome, Naples or Palermo you will not meet the rule unless you drive up into the hills.
Autorentwiz tip: not sure whether your route needs winter equipment? Message us on Messenger with your route and dates. We tell you what the rules require and send you offers that include it, with our discount applied.
Do rental cars in Italy come with winter tyres?
Usually not, but they do come with snow chains where the rule applies. After a case brought by Italy’s competition authority and upheld by an Italian court in 2017, rental companies must include snow chains or winter tyres at no extra cost wherever winter equipment is mandatory. In practice that means snow chains. Winter tyres are rare, usually a paid extra and subject to availability.
This is what the main companies say on their own websites and in their rental terms, for example on Locauto’s winter equipment page:
| Company | Snow chains | Winter tyres |
|---|---|---|
| Locauto | Included in the price from 15 November to 15 April, with snow socks | Optional, chosen when you book |
| Alamo, Enterprise, National | Free at all their Italian branches from 15 November to 15 April | Not included. On request at the desk, about 10-22 EUR a day plus tax |
| Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty | Fitted as standard in winter in most northern and central regions, paid through a compulsory winter fee in the rate | Hertz rents winter models with winter tyres at its main northern and central branches |
| Avis, Budget, Maggiore | Supplied automatically where chains are required, price included. Elsewhere optional: Avis and Maggiore charge 9.82 EUR a day for up to 5 days | Avis and Budget: group N cars have winter tyres at selected branches. Maggiore: some car groups |
| Europcar | Included at branches under a snow order. Elsewhere on request, for a fee | Not at every branch |
| SIXT | No extra cost at branches in regions with the rule | A paid option, subject to availability |
| Sicily By Car | Included at branches under a snow order | Only with a winter car group |
| Noleggiare | On all cars, at no extra cost | On many cars, on request by phone |
The offers you see when you search do not always show this. In our search for a 7-14 December pick-up at Turin Airport and Verona Airport, the offers of Locauto, Alamo, National, Noleggiare and Ecovia stated snow chains in the price, and Sicily By Car, SIXT, Europcar and Keddy listed them as included. The offers of Avis, Budget, Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty and Enterprise listed no winter equipment, even though their own terms include chains where they are required. Sometimes the chains appear among the optional extras at 0 EUR:
Winter tyres were rare in every search we ran. In our November searches at Verona, Trieste and Genoa, the only offers with winter tyres were from Sicily By Car, and they cost more than the cheapest cars without them.
How to check the winter equipment in your offer
- Included in your offer: look for snow chains or winter tyres in the list of what the price includes.
- Optional extras: chains or winter tyres at 0 EUR are free, so add them to your booking. With a price, you pay for them at the desk.
- Rate excludes: some companies add a winterisation fee at the desk.
- Additional information: the company’s own winter rules, for example for the Aosta Valley and South Tyrol.
If neither the offer nor the company’s terms mention winter equipment, ask before you book.
Planning a ski trip? Message us on Messenger with your dates, airport and route. We find offers with snow chains or winter tyres included and check the conditions with you before you book, with our discount applied.
Compare winter car rental offers in Italy for your dates
Same discount with the search button or with offers sent on Messenger.
Winter tyres, snow chains or snow socks: which do you need?
It depends on where you drive:
- Cities and the coast: for Rome, Naples, Florence, the coast of Sicily or Sardinia you usually need nothing. If your route crosses a road with the winter sign, chains on board meet the rule.
- A few mountain roads: for the Apennines, the Tuscan hills or Etna, chains on board meet the rule and are the cheaper choice. Practise fitting them once before you need them.
- Ski resorts in the Alps and the Dolomites: book winter tyres if you can. Fitting chains at the roadside in the cold and the dark is hard, and on roads such as those up to Sauze d’Oulx and Sestriere chains are very often required. On the highest passes, signs can require chains in heavy snow even on winter tyres.
You do not need a 4×4 for the main ski resorts, which clear their roads. Good winter tyres matter more than four-wheel drive.
Ski trips with a rental car: which airport to fly into
Fly into the airport closest to your resort, and book winter tyres or chains with the car:
| Destination | Airport | By car |
|---|---|---|
| Sauze d’Oulx, Bardonecchia | Turin | about 1 hour 16 minutes on the A32 |
| Sestriere | Turin | about 1 hour 31 minutes on the A32 |
| Courmayeur | Turin | about 150 km, 1 hour 34 minutes on the A5 |
| Cogne, Gran Paradiso | Turin | about 144 km, 1 hour 46 minutes |
| Bolzano and the Dolomites of South Tyrol | Verona | about 151 km on the A22 |
| Cortina d’Ampezzo | Treviso or Venice Marco Polo | 137 km or 147 km, about 2 hours |
| Campo Imperatore, Gran Sasso | Pescara | about 1 hour 45 minutes |
| Sila, Camigliatello Silano | Lamezia Terme | about 1 hour 20 minutes |
Ski season raises demand at the mountain airports: at Turin, December, January and February are among the more expensive months of the year. Book as early as you can with free cancellation, and if the price drops later, rebook. Our guide on how to save money on car rental explains this and other tricks.
Driving into Austria, Switzerland, France or Slovenia in winter
First check that your rental company allows the country, because some charge a cross-border fee and some do not allow certain countries at all. Then check the winter rules on the other side of the border, because they are not the same as Italy’s:
| Country | Winter rule |
|---|---|
| Austria | From 1 November to 15 April, winter tyres marked M+S with at least 4 mm of tread whenever the road has snow, slush or ice. Chains only on roads fully covered with snow or ice |
| Switzerland | No general obligation, but the car must be fit for the conditions. If summer tyres cause an accident in winter, you can be fined and your insurer can claim money back |
| France | From 1 November to 31 March in the mountain towns listed by each département: winter tyres with the snowflake symbol (3PMSF), or chains or snow socks in the car |
| Slovenia | From 15 November to 15 March, and in winter conditions: winter tyres with at least 3 mm of tread, or summer tyres with chains in the car |
Our airport guides list which companies allow each country and what they charge: Switzerland from Bergamo and Malpensa, Slovenia and Croatia from Trieste and Venice Marco Polo, and France from Genoa.
What happens if you are stopped without winter equipment?
On a road where the rule applies, the fine is 87-344 EUR outside built-up areas and 42-173 EUR in towns, and the police can stop you from driving on until the car has chains or winter tyres. With a rental car, a fine sent later by post goes to the rental company first, which gives your details to the police and usually charges you an administration fee for it.
Snow and ice are also hard on the car. If you damage it, the basic cover in your price still leaves you with the excess, and damage to tyres, wheels, glass and the underbody is often not covered at all. Full coverage bought with your booking refunds these costs. Our guide to car rental in Italy explains how the deposit and the cover work.
How to book a winter car rental in Italy: a checklist
- Plan the route first: only cities and the coast, or mountain roads and ski resorts.
- Fly into the airport closest to the mountains you are visiting.
- Choose an offer with snow chains included, or with winter tyres for a ski resort.
- Check the rental conditions for a winterisation fee and for chains you would pay for at the desk.
- If you cross into Austria, Switzerland, France or Slovenia, check that the company allows it.
- Add full coverage, because winter roads are hard on tyres, wheels and glass.
- At pick-up, check that the equipment is in the car: the chains in the boot, or the M+S marking on the tyres. Our 5 tips for a flawless car rental pick-up cover the rest of the checks.
Still have questions about car rental in Italy in winter?
Our discount is applied automatically when you use the search button.
FAQ: winter tyres and car rental in Italy
Not everywhere. From 15 November to 15 April, winter tyres or snow chains on board are required on roads with the winter sign, mostly in the Alps, the Apennines and on mountain roads in the south. The Aosta Valley starts on 15 October, in South Tyrol and Trentino the rule covers all roads outside towns, and on the A22 Brenner motorway it applies even without snow.
Usually not. Most rental cars at Italian airports come without winter tyres, and where companies offer them, they are usually a paid extra and subject to availability. In our searches at Verona, Trieste and Genoa, the only offers with winter tyres were from Sicily By Car. Snow chains are far more common.
Where winter equipment is mandatory, yes: rental companies must include snow chains or winter tyres at no extra cost. Locauto, Alamo, Enterprise, National and Noleggiare include chains in winter at all their branches, and Avis, Budget, Maggiore, Europcar, SIXT and Sicily By Car at branches under a snow order. Hertz, Dollar and Thrifty fit them in most northern and central regions through a winter fee in the rate.
For the cities and the coast, usually not. In Sicily the rule covers ANAS roads exposed to snow and the roads on Etna, and in Sardinia a mountain section of the SS131 and the SS389 between Nuoro and Lanusei. Around Rome, it covers ANAS roads at risk of snow in the hills.
Yes, with winter equipment. From 15 November to 15 April the whole A22 requires winter tyres fitted or chains on board even without snow, and the same applies on roads outside towns in South Tyrol and Trentino. Verona Airport is closest to Bolzano, and Treviso and Venice Marco Polo to Cortina d’Ampezzo.
On a road where the rule applies, 87-344 EUR outside built-up areas and 42-173 EUR in towns, and the police can stop the car until it has chains or winter tyres. With a rental car, the rental company usually adds an administration fee when it passes your details to the police.
Only if their speed rating is the same as or higher than the one on the car’s registration document. Winter tyres with a lower speed rating are allowed only from 15 October to 15 May, and the fine outside that period is 430-1,731 EUR. With a rental car, the tyres are the rental company’s responsibility.
Yes. Locauto accepts debit cards with no deposit, only a symbolic 0,01 EUR card authorisation at pick-up, and in our search it included snow chains in the price from 15 November to 15 April. Many other companies accept debit cards too, with a deposit. Our guide to car rental in Italy with a debit card lists them.
Yes, with a debit card. Bring a physical debit card in the main driver’s name and check in the offer conditions that debit cards are accepted. Some offers need no card at all at pick-up: message us on Messenger and we find them for your dates.
Yes, with Locauto, which asks for no deposit, only a symbolic 0,01 EUR card authorisation at pick-up, and includes snow chains in the price in winter. At Venice Marco Polo, Dolomiti Rent a Car also blocked no deposit on every offer in our search.
We recommend it. Snow and ice are hard on tyres, wheels, glass and the underbody, which the basic cover in the price often excludes, and the excess still applies to other damage. Full coverage bought with your booking refunds these costs, and you can say no to the extra cover sold at the desk.
Cover photo by Kenny Leys on Unsplash.
★★★★★4.9/5 from 150+ reviews on Google and Facebook over the last 12 months
“Rent in Naples airport was quick and easy, drop off as well. You can also rent a car without a credit card or with zero deposit. Will definitely be back for services!”
★★★★★Egle, Google review “Great response from the company, fast search and many options available for any budget, and for us, for the first time, the deposit was the lowest compared to other agents. Highly recommended!!!”
★★★★★Donatas, Google review “We spent a couple of days looking for the best option. After contacting Autorentwiz, within 20 minutes they offered an option with no deposit and no credit card needed, at the best price. At the rental desk I got a new car. Only the best reviews.”
Arnas, Facebook review (translated) “We rented a car online from another company. But when we got there, we ended up in a dispute with the rental company over the insurance terms. Autorentwiz replied to our messages late in the evening, went through the photos of the contract we sent and gladly gave us useful advice on how to handle the situation. Sincere thanks for the help.”
★★★★★Jurgita, Google review (translated) “Highly recommend! I was looking for a car in Sardinia at the last minute and found one thanks to Autorentwiz 🙂 at a great price and on good terms.”
★★★★★Sara, Google review (translated) “Top, top, top!!! Everything perfect, much cheaper than the competition and everything as agreed. We'll gladly come back.”
★★★★★Katarzyna, Google review (translated) “It was our first time renting the car in Italy, Bergamo airport. Simas helped us to choose the car and answered all the questions we had. Was very easy to rent the car and was no issue with it. Thanks Simas. Would highly recommend and would rent again.”
★★★★★Dovile, Google review “I recommend them! They helped us rent 3 cars in Italy. Convenient and a very good price! Quick, smooth communication and good, clear advice. Thank you!”
★★★★★Zita, Google review (translated) “It helped me to avoid a lot of stress. It was first time I was renting a car and they helped me to choose best option, also gave me great tips how to act when I'll be in car renting office.”
★★★★★Eitvydas, Google review “Thank you, Autorentwiz, for helping me find a reliable company to rent a car in Italy. Everything was exactly as described. Pick-up and return were smooth and quick. There were no problems, just as Autorentwiz had assured me. Thanks again, and I recommend them!”
★★★★★Kristina, Google review (translated) “I recommend this company. They quickly and efficiently found me a car in Sardinia at a very competitive price, reply fast and explain the whole procedure. I will definitely use their services again. Recommended.”
★★★★★Grzegorz, Google review (translated) “Fast, friendly service. Picking up the car in one place and returning it in another went smoothly!”
★★★★★Gytis, Google review (translated) “Excellent service, we rented a car via them in Sicily and the service and communication was flawless. Thanks a lot, will definitely continue using your services.”
★★★★★Dainius, Google review “Recommended!!! We rented 2 cars in Pescara, Italy, and everything was great. The cars were clean and well kept.”
★★★★★Indrė, Google review (translated) “Had a great experience with them. They communicate clearly, respond quickly and explain everything in an understandable way, and they recommended reliable car rental companies. Highly professional and trustworthy.”
★★★★★Zoltán, Google review “I recommend them! This isn't the first time we've used Autorentwiz and every time we're very happy. This time we rented a car in Italy: they found and offered the right option very quickly, and the whole process was smooth, clear and fast. Great communication, easy booking and professional service. We'll definitely be back. Thank you!”
★★★★★Jovita, Google review (translated)
Bookings through our search earn Autorentwiz a commission from Discovercars. Our discount comes out of it. How this works
