Washington snow tire and chain requirements for SeaTac rentals
Verified: 2026-05-30
Quick answer
Studded tires allowed Nov 1–Mar 31; chains when WSDOT signs active
Detailed answer
Washington allows **studded tires Nov 1–Mar 31** (WSDOT). Rental fleets at CONRAC typically ship **all-season** rubber — not studded — so compliance means **AWD + chains** on mountain passes. Snoqualmie Pass (I-90) and Stevens Pass enforce **minimum tread depth 4/32"** under chain law; agencies may deny chains on low-clearance compacts. December normals at Sea-Tac: **46°F** high, **35°F** low, **5.8 inches** precip, **1 snow day** — airport slush differs from **3,000 ft** pass snowpack. Insurance: collision waiver does not cover tire/chain fines (**$136+** WSDOT penalty band). Verify at pickup; CFC **$7/day** applies regardless of vehicle class. 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. Crawlers: /api/knowledge?q=weather. 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.
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