Window Tint Laws by State (2026): Legal VLT Limits
Window Tint Laws by State (2026): Legal VLT Limits
Window tint laws regulate how dark a vehicle's windows can be, measured in Visible Light Transmission (VLT), the percentage of light the tinted window lets through. Limits vary widely by state, and the front side window is the most strictly regulated. Most states set separate rules for sedans and SUVs, and several states changed their limits in 2025 and 2026.
What is VLT and how tint limits work
Visible Light Transmission is the share of visible light that passes through both the film and the underlying glass combined. A window rated at 35% VLT blocks 65% of visible light and allows 35% through. Because the underlying factory glass already absorbs some light (typically around 70 to 75% for standard automotive glass), adding a film further reduces the combined VLT.
States enforce a minimum combined VLT, not just a film rating. That means a film that reads 35% by itself may produce a combined reading below the legal minimum when measured on your actual vehicle. Always ask your installer to confirm the combined reading, not just the film specification.
Most states use a separate standard for the front side windows (the two windows beside the driver and front passenger) versus the rear side windows and the rear window. The windshield is treated differently still: almost every state prohibits tinting below the AS-1 line (the line marked on the glass near the top), allowing only a narrow non-reflective strip at the very top.
Measurement tools (VLT meters) are used by law enforcement and inspection stations. Many states build in a tolerance of plus or minus 3 to 7 percentage points to account for meter variation and glass aging.
The strictest and most permissive states
The strictest jurisdictions for front side windows essentially require glass that is nearly clear. New York, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and the District of Columbia all set the front side minimum at 70%, which is the standard factory tint level. New Jersey, Vermont, and Delaware go further and prohibit any aftermarket film on front side windows entirely (factory glass only, with limited medical exceptions). Michigan allows only a non-reflective strip on the top 4 inches of the front side windows.
At the other end of the spectrum, New Mexico permits front side windows as dark as 20% VLT (80% of light blocked). Montana and Washington allow 24%. Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas allow 25%. Colorado, South Carolina, and Wyoming allow 27 to 28%.
States in the middle cluster around 32 to 35% for the front side: Alabama, Arizona (33%), California (effectively 70% for aftermarket film but any tint behind the AS-1 line), Connecticut, Florida (28%), Georgia, Idaho, Indiana (30%), Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota (50%), Mississippi (28%), Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio (50%), Oregon (35% combined), South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia (50%), West Virginia, and Wisconsin (50%).
The loosest rules for back side and rear windows are common: more than half of states allow any darkness on those windows for SUVs and multipurpose vehicles, as long as dual outside mirrors give adequate rearward vision.
Windshield tint rules
Every state restricts windshield tinting far more tightly than side windows. The universal rule is that only a narrow non-reflective strip at the very top of the windshield is permitted. The strip is usually defined as above the AS-1 line (the line marked by the glass manufacturer for the mounting bracket area) or within the top 4 to 6 inches, depending on the state.
Below that strip, the windshield must remain fully transparent. Most states specify that the windshield must maintain at least 70% VLT across its full area. Missouri prohibits all aftermarket windshield screening except a factory-standard upper strip.
Some states add color restrictions for the windshield strip: California, Nevada, and Arizona ban red and amber. Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, and New Mexico ban red, yellow, and amber. Texas bans red, blue, and amber. Oregon bans red, gold, yellow, amber, and black.
Iowa requires the entire windshield (not just a strip) to maintain at least 70% light transmittance.
Medical exemptions
Most states allow a vehicle owner with a documented photosensitive medical condition to apply darker tint than the standard limits. Common qualifying conditions include lupus, xeroderma pigmentosum, porphyria, albinism, and light-aggravated autoimmune conditions.
The typical process requires a written certification from a licensed physician or optometrist stating the patient's need for reduced light exposure. The driver keeps the certification in the vehicle and presents it if stopped. Some states issue an official permit or sticker through the DMV or state police.
Four states do not offer a medical exemption for window tint:
- Colorado (C.R.S. 42-4-227 contains no exemption process)
- Iowa (exemptions were removed in 2012)
- Hawaii (no medical exemption under the current statute)
- Nebraska (no exemption provision found in the statute)
Illinois has the narrowest exemption in the country: only a short list of specific diagnoses qualifies, including lupus, disseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis, albinism, and light sensitivity from traumatic brain injury.
Medical exemptions do not override all rules. Kansas, for example, limits medical exemptions to clear UV-blocking film of at least 78% VLT rather than allowing dark tint.
Reflectivity and color limits
Beyond the VLT minimum, most states cap how reflective or metallic a tint film can appear. Mirrored and metallic films that bounce significant light back toward other drivers are widely prohibited. Common reflectivity ceilings are 20% (Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, West Virginia, Wyoming, Virginia), 25% (Indiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Texas), 35% (Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, South Dakota, Washington), and 13% (Oregon, the strictest).
Some states ban reflective film outright without specifying a percentage: Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky (reflective and metallic both banned), Maine, Ohio, Rhode Island area rules, and others.
Color bans are common for windshield strips. Red and amber are banned in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Texas. Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, and New Mexico add yellow. Oregon and Washington also ban gold, yellow, black, and mirror-finish film. Alaska requires tint to be green, gray, bronze, or neutral smoke; other colors are not permitted anywhere on the vehicle.
Hawaii bans red, yellow, amber, and blue tint colors on all windows. Kentucky bans red, amber, and emergency/signal colors.
Recent changes (2025-2026)
Several states updated their window tint rules in 2025 and 2026, and knowing the effective dates matters if your vehicle was tinted before a change.
Louisiana lowered the front and back side window minimum from 40% to 25% under Act 143 (HB 119), effective August 1, 2025. Vehicles tinted to 25% or darker are now legal if the tint was applied after that date.
North Dakota lowered the side and rear minimum from 50% to 35% under HB 1340, effective August 1, 2025. Previously tinted vehicles at 35% or better are now clearly legal.
Utah lowered the front side minimum from 43% to 35% under HB 112, effective May 7, 2025. The old 43% standard no longer applies.
Hawaii passed Act 129 in May 2025, which removed the vehicle-type distinction for rear windows (both passenger cars and multipurpose vehicles may now go any darkness on the rear), raised penalties for violations, and added a window roll-down requirement at police stops.
Iowa passed HF 766, signed May 15, 2026, which lowers the front side minimum from 70% to 50%. However, this change does not take effect until July 1, 2026. As of today, Iowa law still requires 70% VLT on front side windows. Do not apply 50% tint in Iowa until that date.
North Carolina changed its inspection rules effective December 1, 2025 under Session Law 2025-47: tint is no longer checked at annual safety inspections. Roadside enforcement by officers continues under the same VLT standards.
Window tint limits by state: complete table
The table below shows the legal VLT minimum for each jurisdiction. A higher number means you must let more light through (lighter tint). "Any" means no VLT minimum applies (though other rules such as dual-mirror requirements may still apply).
| State | Front side VLT | Back side / rear side | Rear window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 32% | 32% sedans; any for SUVs/MPVs with dual mirrors | 32% sedans; any for SUVs/MPVs |
| Alaska | 70% | 40% | 40% |
| Arizona | 33% | Any (no minimum) | Any with dual mirrors |
| Arkansas | 25% | 25% sedans; 10% trucks/MPVs | 10% |
| California | 70% (film must allow 88% alone) | Any with dual mirrors | Any with dual mirrors |
| Colorado | 27% | Any if front/windshield allow 70%; otherwise 27% | Any if front/windshield allow 70%; otherwise 27% |
| Connecticut | 35% | 35% sedans; any for SUVs/vans/MPVs | Any with dual mirrors |
| Delaware | No aftermarket tint (medical waiver excepted) | Any with dual mirrors | Any with dual mirrors |
| District of Columbia | 70% standard; 55% minivans | 50% standard; 35% minivans | 50% standard; 35% minivans |
| Florida | 28% | 15% sedans; 6% SUVs/MPVs | 15% sedans; 6% MPVs |
| Georgia | 32% | 32% sedans; any for SUVs/vans/pickups | 32% sedans; any for SUVs/MPVs |
| Hawaii | 35% | Any (2025 Act 129) | Any (2025 Act 129) |
| Idaho | 35% | 20% | 35% |
| Illinois | 50% (or 35% with rear at 35%) | 30 to 35% sedans; any for SUVs/vans | Any for SUVs/vans |
| Indiana | 30% | 30% | 30% |
| Iowa | 70% (drops to 50% July 1, 2026) | Any | Any |
| Kansas | 35% | 35% | 35% |
| Kentucky | 35% | 18% sedans; any for SUVs/vans/trucks | 18% sedans; any for SUVs/MPVs |
| Louisiana | 25% (from 40%, eff. Aug 2025) | 25% | 12% |
| Maine | 35% | Any with dual mirrors | Any with dual mirrors |
| Maryland | 35% | 35% sedans; darker for SUVs/vans with dual mirrors | 35% sedans; darker for SUVs/vans |
| Massachusetts | 35% | 35% | 35% |
| Michigan | No aftermarket tint (top 4-inch strip only) | Any | Any (under 35% reflectance) |
| Minnesota | 50% | 50% (some vehicle types exempt) | 50% (some vehicle types exempt) |
| Mississippi | 28% | 28% | 28% |
| Missouri | 35% | No restriction specified | No restriction |
| Montana | 24% | 14% sedans; any for MPVs/vans/buses | 14% sedans; any for MPVs |
| Nebraska | 35% | 20% sedans; any for MPVs/vans/buses | 20% sedans; any for MPVs |
| Nevada | 35% (7% tolerance) | Any with dual mirrors | Any with dual mirrors |
| New Hampshire | 70% | 35% | 35% |
| New Jersey | Prohibited (no aftermarket tint) | Any | Any |
| New Mexico | 20% | 20% sedans; any for MPVs/vans/buses | 20% sedans; any for MPVs |
| New York | 70% | 70% sedans; any with dual mirrors | 70% sedans; any with dual mirrors |
| North Carolina | 35% (32%+ presumed compliant) | 35% | 35% |
| North Dakota | 35% (from 50%, eff. Aug 2025) | 35%; any with dual mirrors | 35%; any with dual mirrors |
| Ohio | 50% | Any | Any |
| Oklahoma | 25% | 25% sedans; any for MPVs with dual mirrors | 25% sedans; any for MPVs |
| Oregon | 35% combined (film must be 50%+) | 35% sedans; any for MPVs with dual mirrors | 35% by vehicle type |
| Pennsylvania | 70% | 70% sedans; no restriction for trucks/MPVs | 70% sedans; none for trucks/MPVs |
| Rhode Island | 70% | 70% sedans; any for trucks/MPVs with dual mirrors | 70% sedans; any for MPVs |
| South Carolina | 27% | 27% sedans; any for SUVs/vans/pickups | 27% sedans; any for SUVs/MPVs |
| South Dakota | 35% | 20% | 20% |
| Tennessee | 35% | 35% sedans; any for SUVs/vans/MPVs | 35% sedans; any for SUVs/MPVs |
| Texas | 25% | Any | 25% (any with dual mirrors) |
| Utah | 35% (from 43%, eff. May 2025) | Any | Any with dual mirrors |
| Vermont | Prohibited (no aftermarket tint) | Any with dual mirrors | Any with dual mirrors |
| Virginia | 50% | 35% sedans; any for MPVs/pickups | 35% sedans; any for MPVs |
| Washington | 24% | 24% (some vehicle types exempt) | 24% (some vehicle types exempt) |
| West Virginia | 35% | 35% sedans; any for trucks/buses/MPVs | 35% sedans; any for MPVs |
| Wisconsin | 50% | 35% | 35% |
| Wyoming | 28% | 28% sedans; any for SUVs/pickups/vans | 28% sedans; any for MPVs |
Legal information notice: This article is general legal information, not legal advice. Window tint limits vary by state and change over time, and enforcement depends on local practice and your specific vehicle. For a definitive answer, check your state DMV or consult a local attorney.
Sources
- Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Tinting Regulations: https://www.alea.gov/dps/highway-patrol/alabama-tinting-regulations
- Arizona Revised Statutes, A.R.S. 28-959.01: https://www.azleg.gov/ars/28/00959-01.htm
- California Vehicle Code, Cal. Veh. Code 26708: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH§ionNum=26708
- Louisiana Revised Statutes, La. R.S. 32:361.1: https://legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=88294
- New York Vehicle and Traffic Law, VTL 375(12-a): https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/VAT/375
- Texas Transportation Code, TRC 547.613: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/TN/htm/TN.547.htm
- Washington Revised Code, RCW 46.37.430: https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.37.430
- North Carolina General Statutes, N.C.G.S. 20-127: https://www.ncleg.gov/enactedlegislation/statutes/html/bysection/chapter_20/gs_20-127.html
Sources and References
- Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Tinting Regulations (Ala. Code 32-5C-1 to 32-5C-7)().gov
- Arizona Revised Statutes, A.R.S. 28-959.01 (Window Tinting)().gov
- California Vehicle Code, Section 26708 (Sun Screening and Window Tinting)().gov
- Louisiana Revised Statutes, La. R.S. 32:361.1 (Window Tinting, as amended by 2025 Act 143)().gov
- New York Vehicle and Traffic Law, VTL 375(12-a) (Window Tinting Restrictions)().gov
- Texas Transportation Code, Chapter 547 Subchapter F, Section 547.613 (Window Tinting)().gov
- Washington Revised Code, RCW 46.37.430 (Sun Screening Material on Motor Vehicle Windows)().gov
- North Carolina General Statutes, N.C.G.S. 20-127 (Windows and Windshield)().gov