Snoqualmie Pass Truck Chain Checks Set to Run

Commercial drivers crossing I-90 this week should carry chains, since the chain-carrying period runs November 1 to April 1.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Trucks

Snoqualmie Pass Truck Chain Checks Set to Run

Live Poll

Do you plan to carry snow chains when driving over mountain passes this winter?

The Washington State Patrol will run a two-day chain compliance emphasis patrol over Snoqualmie Pass on I-90 on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 3-4, 2026, focused on commercial motor vehicle drivers carrying traction devices during the winter chain period.

Why it matters

Commercial drivers in Washington must carry chains from November 1 to April 1, and this patrol is aimed at educating and gaining compliance with that requirement before winter driving conditions set in over one of the state's most important mountain passes. For households that rely on trucking for goods, deliveries, or moving services, the emphasis signals that enforcement attention on chain rules is active this season.

Commercial motor vehicles must carry chains from November 1 to April 1, and the emphasis patrol runs Tuesday and Wednesday, November 3-4, 2026, over Snoqualmie Pass on I-90.

The players

Washington State Patrol

Washington's statewide law enforcement agency, which runs commercial vehicle enforcement and highway safety patrols across the state's interstates and mountain passes.

Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT)

The state agency that manages Washington's highways and posts the chain requirements that drivers must follow during winter conditions.

The details

Troopers will conduct the two-day emphasis over Snoqualmie Pass, a stretch of I-90 known for winter closures and sudden snow. The focus is on educating CMV drivers about carrying snow traction devices rather than immediate penalties, though enforcement remains in place. All drivers, including passenger cars and light trucks, must carry chains when WSDOT posts chain requirements on highways, while motorists with all-wheel-drive vehicles may proceed without installing chain devices. The Washington State Patrol will post results on social media once the emphasis is complete.

November 1: CMV chain-carrying period begins statewide.
November 3 (Tuesday): First day of the two-day chain compliance emphasis patrol on I-90.
November 4 (Wednesday): Second day of the chain compliance emphasis patrol on I-90.
April 1: CMV chain-carrying period ends.

The Home Front

Chain requirements on Washington's mountain passes are an existing part of the state's winter transportation system, and this emphasis patrol applies that framework to commercial trucking on I-90. For households, the patrol is one more signal that freight and delivery schedules through the Cascades may face winter-driving restrictions from November through early April.

If you rely on a truck or delivery service through the Cascades this winter, confirm your carrier has chains on board before the November 1 start of the chain-carrying period. Check WSDOT chain requirement postings before any mountain-pass trip and plan extra time for possible restrictions.

The takeaway

Commercial drivers and the trucking companies that serve Washington households should keep chains on board from November 1 through April 1 and check WSDOT postings before crossing Snoqualmie Pass. A short pre-trip check now can prevent a delay that ripples into household deliveries and moves.