Free shipping · CA
Tires Shipped Free to California
Tires ship free to any street address in California, from San Diego to the Oregon line. California's tire rules are unusually specific: a 1/32 inch tread minimum, chain controls in the mountains with a 6/32 inch rule for snow tires used instead of chains, a stud season and a $1.75 tire fee. Here they are with sources, and what they mean for the set you choose.
State rules
California tire rules, with sources
A plain-English summary with a source for each line, not legal advice. Laws change: check the California DMV for current rules.
Tread depth
Passenger tires need at least 1/32 inch of tread in any two adjacent grooves at any point on the tire. Snow tires used instead of chains in a posted chain-control area need 6/32 inch.
Traction and chain laws
R-1: chains required except on passenger vehicles and light trucks under 6,000 lb with snow tires on at least two drive wheels. R-2: chains or traction devices required except on 4WD/AWD vehicles with snow-tread tires on all four wheels, which must still carry traction devices. R-3: chains or traction devices required on all vehicles, no exceptions. Snow tires are marked MS, M/S, M+S or MUD AND SNOW on the sidewall.
Studded tires
Studded tires are allowed from November 1 through April 30. The CHP commissioner can extend this period in bad weather.
Inspection
California's periodic vehicle test is the Smog Check, an emissions inspection run by the Bureau of Automotive Repair. It is required every other year at registration once a car is more than eight model years old.
Source:Bureau of Automotive Repair, Smog Check(opens in a new tab)
State tire fee
California charges a $1.75 fee per new tire. It applies to new tires sold on their own and to new tires (including the spare) sold with a new or used vehicle. CDTFA administers it with CalRecycle.
Source:CDTFA, California Tire Fee: Getting Started(opens in a new tab)
Sources checked October 2026.
Climate and tire choice
Which tire type for California
All-season at home, chain rules in the mountains
Most Californians never see snow at home. On the coast and in the valleys, an all-season or summer tire fits the year; in the desert, heat and tire age matter more than tread pattern, so check the four-digit date code on the sidewall of anything you buy.
If you drive into the Sierra Nevada or other mountain areas in winter, chain controls shape the choice. Under R-1, a car with M+S snow tires on two drive wheels can skip chains; under R-2, only 4WD or AWD vehicles with snow-tread tires on all four wheels can, and they still carry traction devices. Either way, a snow tire used instead of chains needs 6/32 inch of tread, so a set bought for ski trips should start the winter well above it.
California's climate runs from some of the nation's hottest, driest deserts in the south to heavy snowfall at higher elevations.
Source:NOAA State Climate Summaries 2022(opens in a new tab)
The Pacific keeps coastal temperatures mild all year; inland areas see a much wider range.
Source:NOAA State Climate Summaries 2022(opens in a new tab)
Shipping
How shipping to California works
Order online
Pick tires by vehicle or by size. Shipping is free to any street address in the 48 contiguous states and DC, with no order minimum.
Ships from a distributor
Your order ships from a distributor warehouse that stocks your size, so a set can come in more than one parcel.
Tracking by email
Once the carrier has a tracking number, we email it to you. You can also look the order up on Track Order.
California orders ship free to any street address in the state. Taxes and fees, including the California tire fee where it applies, are calculated at checkout. How shipping works
Mounting
Getting them mounted in California
If you'll drive in chain-control areas, ask the shop to confirm the new tires show M+S or the mountain snowflake symbol, and to write the starting tread depth on the invoice so you know where you stand against the 6/32 inch rule later in the season.
Any tire shop that mounts customer tires can do this; we don't recommend particular shops.
What to ask a shop
- Do you mount and balance tires a customer brings in?
- What do you charge per tire to mount, balance, replace valve stems or service TPMS sensors, and to take the old tires?
- Can you reset the tire-pressure warning light after the swap?
Bring the tires and your TireDrop order confirmation, so the shop can match the size, load index and speed rating on each sidewall to your order before anything is mounted. A mounted tire can't be returned.
Questions
Asked about California
Is 1/32 inch really the legal minimum in California?
For passenger tires, yes, under Vehicle Code § 27465. It is a floor, not a target: wet grip falls off long before that, and a snow tire used instead of chains in a chain-control area needs 6/32 inch.
Can my all-wheel-drive car skip chains in the Sierra?
Under R-2, yes, if it has snow-tread tires on all four wheels, but it must still carry traction devices. Under R-3 every vehicle needs chains or traction devices. Caltrans posts the level in force at each control point.
When can I run studded tires in California?
From November 1 through April 30. The CHP commissioner can extend this period in bad weather.
What is the $1.75 on California tire orders?
The California Tire Fee: $1.75 per new tire, administered by CDTFA with CalRecycle. Taxes and fees are calculated at checkout.