Automotive Window Tint Laws by State: Your Definitive Guide

Window tint laws vary widely across the United States. While some states allow darker tint, others restrict it heavily. Understanding your state’s legal tint limits is crucial before adding any aftermarket films.

This guide lists the window tint laws for all 50 states and Washington D.C. It also provides an overview of legal limits for the front driver/passenger windows as well as rear and back windows.

State-Specific Window Tint Guidelines

Despite the allure of dark tints, it’s important to be aware of the legal restrictions governing the permissible darkness of window films.

Each state enforces specific regulations regarding the maximum darkness of tints applied.

When considering window tinting, it’s vital to know the regulations that apply in each state, as they can vary significantly. The following information provides a detailed breakdown of the allowed tint percentages and additional rules for each state.

(The following list helps ensure compliance with local laws when applying window tint to vehicles. However, it’s recommended to consult the local DMV or a professional window tint installer in your state for the most current regulations.)

State	Front Side Windows	Back Side Windows	Rear Windows	Windshield	Reflectivity	Other Restrictions
Alabama	32%	32%	32%	6 inches	no more than 20% reflective	none
Alaska	70%	40%	40%	5 inches	no metallic or mirrored tinting	no red, yellow or amber tinting allowed
Arizona	33%	any	any	tinting allowed to top of the manufacturer’s as-1 line	no more than 35% reflective	red and amber not permitted. back window tinting requires the use of dual side mirrors
Arkansas	25%	25%	10%	5 inches	no metallic or mirrored tinting	none
California	70%	any	any	4 inches	no more reflective than a standard window	red, amber, and blue not allowed, dual side mirrors required for back tinted windows
Colorado	27%	27%	27%	4 inches	no metallic or mirrored tinting	red and amber not permitted, back window tinting requires the use of dual side mirros
Connecticut	35%	35%	any	non-reflective tint above the as-1 line	no more than 21% reflective	dual side mirrors required for back tinted windows
Delaware	70%	any	any	non-reflective tint above the as-1 line	no metallic or mirrored tinting	dual side mirrors required for back tinted windows
Florida	28%	15%	15%	non-reflective tint allowed above the as-1 line	no more than 25% reflective	dual side mirrors required for back tinted windows
Georgia	32%	32%	32%	6 inches	no more than 20% reflective	red and amber not allowed
Hawaii	35%	35%	35%	no inch requirent, must allow 70% of light	no metallic or mirrored tinting	dual side mirrors required for back tinted windows
Idaho	35%	20%	35%	tinting allowed to the top of the manufacturer’s as-1 line	no more than 35% reflective	dual side mirrors required for back tinted windows
Illinois	35%	35%	35%	6 inches	must be non-reflective	dual side mirrors required for back tinted windows
Indiana	30%	30%	30%	tinting allowed to the top of the manufacturer’s as-1 line	no more than 25% reflective	none
Iowa	70%	any	any	tinting allowed to the top of the manufacturer’s as-1 line	no excessive reflections allowed, but not specified	none
Kansas	35%	35%	35%	tinting allowed to the top of the manufacturer’s as-1 line	no metallic or mirrored tinting	red, amber and yellow are prohibited and must have dual side mirrors for back tinted windows
Kentucky	35%	18%	18%	tinting allowed to the top of the manufacturer’s as-1 line	no more than 25% reflective	none
Louisiana	40%	25%	12%	tinting allowed to the top of the manufacturer’s as-1 line	no more than 20% reflective	none
Maine	35%	any	any	4 inches	must be non-reflective	dual side mirrors required for back tinted windows
Maryland	35%	35%	35%	5 inches	no law	red, amber and yellow are prohibited and must have dual side mirrors for back tinted windows
Massachusetts	35%	35%	35%	6 inches	no more than 35% reflective	must have dual side mirrors required for back tinted windows
Michigan	any percent, but only 4 inches from the top of window	any	any	4 inches	no more than 35% reflective	none
Minnesota	50%	50%	50%	none allowed	no more than 20% reflective	none
Mississippi	28%	28%	28%	tinting allowed to the top of the manufacturer’s as-1 line	no more than 20% reflective	none
Missouri	35%	any	any	tinting allowed to the top of the manufacturer’s as-1 line	no more than 35% reflective	must have dual side mirrors for back tinted windows
Montana	24%	14%	14%	tinting allowed to the top of the manufacturer’s as-1 line	no more than 35% reflective	none
Nebraska	35%	20%	20%	5 inches or as-1 line, whichever comes first	no more than 35% reflective	unclear on side mirrors, but red, amber and yellow are not permitted
Nevada	35%	any	any	tinting allowed to the top of the manufacturer’s as-1 line	no law	tinting allowed to the top of the manufacturer’s as-1 line
New Hampshire	no tinting allowed	35%	35%	6 inches	no metallic or mirrored tinting	dual side mirrors required for back tinted windows
New Jersey	no tinting allowed	any	any	no tinting allowed	no metallic or mirrored tinting	dual side mirrors required for back tinted windows
New Mexico	20%	20%	20%	5 inches or as-1 line, whichever comes first	no law	dual side mirrors required for back tinted windows
New York	70%	70%	any	6 inches	no metallic or mirrored tinting	dual side mirrors required for back tinted windows
North Carolina	35%	35%	35%	tinting allowed to the top of the manufacturer’s as-1 line	no more than 20% reflective	red, amber and yellow are prohibited and must have dual side mirrors for back tinted windows
North Dakota	50%	any	any	no more than 70%	no metallic or mirrored tinting	dual side mirrors required for back tinted windows
Ohio	50%	any	any	no more than 70%	no more reflective than a standard window	none
Oklahoma	25%	25%	25%	5 inches or as-1 line, whichever comes first	no more than 20% reflective	dual side mirrors required for back tinted windows
Oregon	35%	35%	35%	6 inches	no more than 13% reflective	red, green, yellow, black and amber tints are not allowed, and must have dual side mirrors for back tinted windows
Pennsylvania	70%	70%	70%	none allowed	no metallic or mirrored tinting	dual side mirrors required for back tinted windows
Rhode Island	70%	70%	70%	tinting allowed to the top of the manufacturer’s as-1 line	no law	none
South Carolina	27%	27%	27%	tinting allowed to the top of the manufacturer’s as-1 line	must be non-reflective	red, amber and yellow are prohibited and must have dual side mirrors for back tinted windows
South Dakota	35%	20%	20%	tinting allowed to the top of the manufacturer’s as-1 line	no metallic or mirrored tinting	none
Tennessee	35%	35%	35%	tinting allowed to the top of the manufacturer’s as-1 line	no metallic or mirrored tinting	none
Texas	25%	25%	any	5 inches or as-1 line, whichever comes first	no more than 25% reflective	red, amber, and blue not allowed. dual side mirrors required for back tinted windows
Utah	43%	any	any	tinting allowed to the top of the manufacturer’s as-1 line	no metallic or mirrored tinting	dual side mirrors required for back tinted windows
Vermont	no tinting allowed	any	any	tinting allowed to the top of the manufacturer’s as-1 line	no metallic or mirrored tinting	dual side mirrors required for back tinted windows
Virginia	50%	35%	35%	tinting allowed to the top of the manufacturer’s as-1 line	no more than 20% reflective	red, amber and yellow are prohibited and must have dual side mirrors for back tinted windows
Washington	24%	24%	24%	6 inches	no more than 35% reflective	red, green, yellow, black and amber tints are not allowed, and must have dual side mirrors for back tinted windows
Washington D.C.	70%	50 percent for cars, 35 percent for multi-purpose vehicles	50 percent for cars, 35 percent for multi-purpose vehicles	5 inches or as-1 line, whichever comes first	no law	none
West Virginia	35%	35%	35%	5 inches	20% reflective	red, amber and yellow are prohibited and must have dual side mirrors for back tinted windows
Wisconsin	50%	35%	35%	tinting allowed to the top of the manufacturer’s as-1 line	no law	dual side mirrors required for back tinted windows
Wyoming	28%	28%	28%	5 inches or as-1 line, whichever comes first	no more than 20% reflective	dual side mirrors required for back tinted windows

In some states like New Jersey and New Hampshire, no tinting is allowed on the front side windows, whereas others, such as Michigan and Pennsylvania, have a tolerance up to the top of the window. States often have different requirements for tint reflectivity, and many require the use of dual side mirrors if the back windows are tinted.

Restrictions on certain colors like red, amber, and yellow commonly appear in several state regulations, while metallic and mirrored finishes are generally discouraged or prohibited due to the potential for glare and obstruction of visibility.

Vehicle Tint Regulations and Enforcement

State vehicle tint regulations in the U.S. are designed to balance privacy and aesthetic preferences with safety and law enforcement considerations.

These laws, varying widely from state to state, dictate the permissible darkness and reflectivity of window tints, often defined by the Visible Light Transmission (VLT) percentage.

Enforcement is typically in the hands of local and state police, who may use specialized equipment to measure tint levels.

If you’re found in violation of these regulations, consequences can range depending on the state. For example, in California, non-compliance might result in a “fix-it” ticket, requiring you to remove the illegal tint and show proof of correction, along with a small fee.

However, in states with stricter enforcement, such as New York, penalties can include heavier fines or even vehicle impoundment in extreme cases.

Repeat offenses can lead to escalating fines or more severe repercussions. It’s crucial for vehicle owners to be aware of and adhere to their state’s tint laws to avoid these potential legal and financial penalties.

State Compliance:

• A vehicle owner must comply with the tinting regulations specific to their state.
• Legally tinted windows, adhering to state laws, typically do not lead to stops by traffic officers.

Tint Violations:

• Non-compliance with state-specific tint laws can result in being pulled over.
• Certain states ban tinting entirely, making it an offense to possess any tinted windows.

Out-of-State Vehicles:

• Owners of out-of-state vehicles should be aware of varying laws and may be stopped for non-compliance.

What Are The Differences Between Tint Percentages?

In vehicle window tinting, Visible Light Transmission (VLT%) measures the tint darkness by indicating the percentage of visible light passing through the windows:

• 35% Tint: Allows 35% of light in, lighter shade.
• 20% Tint: Permits 20% of light, providing more privacy.
• 5% Tint: Also known as “limo tint”, only 5% of light enters, very dark.

Legal VLT% varies by state and car window.

In certain U.S. states, the most light-restrictive 5% window tint is approved for use on the rear side windows of passenger cars, these include:

• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Delaware
• Iowa
• Michigan
• Missouri
• North Dakota
• New Jersey
• Nevada
• Ohio
• Utah
• Vermont

Are There Health-Related Exemptions for Vehicle Window Tinting?

Individuals with certain health conditions that increase their sensitivity to sunlight may be eligible for waivers permitting the application of window tint beyond the customary legal limitations.

These medical conditions may include, but are not limited to, albinism, which necessitates stringent protection from sun exposure, and certain cases of psoriasis where individuals react adversely to UV rays.

Moreover, those suffering from Rosacea, characterized by facial sensitivity and inflammation when exposed to sunlight, may also qualify for a medical exemption. To acquire this exemption, a physician’s certification detailing the medical necessity must be secured and kept readily available in the vehicle, mainly for verification during traffic stops or by law enforcement officials.

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