New Mexico Window Tint Laws (2026): Legal VLT Limits

New Mexico allows front side windows as dark as 20% VLT, making it one of the most permissive tinting states in the country. The same 20% floor applies to the back side windows and the rearmost window, and under NMSA 66-3-846.1(B)(2) film may be used on any of those windows only if the vehicle is equipped with one right and one left outside rearview mirror. Multipurpose vehicles (SUVs, vans, and RVs) are released from the light transmission requirement behind the driver, but not from the nonreflective and dual-mirror conditions.

What is the legal tint limit in New Mexico?

New Mexico sets a 20% VLT minimum for front side windows on all vehicles, which is among the loosest standards in the nation. VLT stands for Visible Light Transmission: a higher percentage means lighter tint (more light passes through), while a lower percentage means darker tint (less light passes through). At 20% VLT, a window blocks 80% of incoming light, producing a very dark appearance.

NMSA 66-3-846.1(B)(2) writes three conditions into a single rule, and that rule covers one list of windows: the side wings or side windows immediately right and left of the driver, the side windows behind the driver, and the rearmost window. Film on any of them must be nonreflective, must have a light transmission of not less than twenty percent, and may be used only on a vehicle equipped with one right and one left outside rearview mirror. The mirror condition is not a back-window rule. A car with a single outside mirror is out of compliance even with legal 35% film on its front side windows.

Subsection F narrows one of those three conditions for larger vehicles. The light transmission requirement does not apply to windows behind the driver on truck tractors, buses, recreational vehicles, multipurpose passenger vehicles, or motor homes. The nonreflective requirement and the dual-mirror condition still apply. An SUV may run limo-dark film behind the driver; it may not run mirrored film there, and it still needs both outside mirrors.

Because 20% is already very dark, most popular tint shades (such as 35% or 50%) are legal on New Mexico front side windows. Limo-level 5% film is darker than the 20% floor and is not legal on front side windows, but it is permitted on the back side and rear windows of a multipurpose vehicle, where the light transmission requirement does not reach, so long as the film is nonreflective and the vehicle carries both outside mirrors.

Windshield tint rules in New Mexico

The windshield carries the strictest rules. Nonreflective film is allowed only along the top of the windshield, and it may not extend downward beyond the AS-1 line (a marking on the glass itself) or more than five inches from the top, whichever of those two limits is closer to the top of the windshield. The statute picks the more restrictive limit for you: if your AS-1 line sits more than five inches down, the five-inch limit controls, and if the AS-1 line sits higher than five inches, the AS-1 line controls. Below the governing line, the windshield must remain clear of aftermarket film.

Color restrictions apply specifically to the windshield strip: red, yellow, and amber tint colors are prohibited. The law also bars reflective or mirrored materials on the windshield, consistent with the statewide ban on mirrored films. All other windows must use nonreflective film as well.

Medical exemptions

New Mexico does not run a medical tint permit program, and there is no form to file with the Motor Vehicle Division. Under NMSA 66-3-846.1(E), the section simply does not apply to a motor vehicle registered in New Mexico in the name of a person, or that person's legal guardian, who has an affidavit signed by a physician or an optometrist licensed to practice in New Mexico stating that the person has a physical condition that makes it necessary to equip the vehicle with sun screening material that violates the section. The affidavit is the exemption. Nothing is applied for and nothing is issued.

Two conditions do the work, and both are easy to miss. The vehicle must be registered in the name of the person with the condition or that person's legal guardian, so an exempt film on a car titled to someone else does not carry the exemption. And the affidavit must be in that person's possession, or the guardian's, at all times while the person is being transported in the vehicle. The statute does not require the affidavit to name the diagnosis or list which windows are covered. Officers may ask to see it during a traffic stop.

How tint is measured and certified

Law enforcement in New Mexico uses a VLT meter (tintometer) to measure the percentage of light passing through a window. The instrument is placed against the glass and provides a reading that officers compare to the 20% threshold.

New Mexico also requires a manufacturer's label on the film, and the statute is specific about who provides it and where it goes. Under NMSA 66-3-846.1(C), the manufacturer must certify to the division that its material meets the nonreflectivity and light transmission requirements, and must supply a label no larger than one and one-half square inches that is installed permanently and legibly between the sun screening material and each glazing surface, carries the manufacturer's name, the date the material was manufactured and the percentage of light transmission, and is placed in the left lower corner of each glazing surface when facing the vehicle from the outside. Subsection D(2) separately bars anyone from installing film on a street-driven vehicle without that label permanently affixed, which is why a reputable installer will confirm it is in place. The label lets an officer check the film's rated specification without retesting. No measurement tolerance (plus-or-minus range) is specified in the New Mexico statute, so readings at or above 20% are considered compliant.

Penalties for illegal tint in New Mexico

A person who violates NMSA 66-3-846.1 is guilty of a penalty assessment misdemeanor. That is a criminal offense, not a civil one. What the penalty assessment mechanism changes is how the charge is disposed of, not what it is: under NMSA 66-8-117(A) the officer offers the option of accepting a penalty assessment, and the violator's signature on the notice is an acknowledgment of guilt of the offense stated in the notice. The penalty assessment for this class of equipment violation is approximately $50.

A driver who declines the penalty assessment may elect a notice to appear instead. In that case, under NMSA 66-8-116(C), a fine imposed on later conviction cannot exceed the penalty assessment amount, and probation on a suspended or deferred sentence cannot exceed ninety days. Officers may also point you toward correcting the violation; removing or replacing illegal film addresses the underlying problem, but the initial citation still carries its penalty.

If you want to tint your windows in New Mexico

Because New Mexico's 20% minimum is so permissive, almost any commercially available shade is legal on your front side windows. Still, following a few practical steps protects you from any compliance issues.

First, decide on a VLT percentage at or above 20% for the front side windows, the back side windows and the rear window. If you drive an SUV, van, or RV, the windows behind the driver have no VLT minimum, though the film there must still be nonreflective.

Second, check that your vehicle has both outside rearview mirrors, one on the right and one on the left. Tint on the side and rear windows is conditioned on them.

Third, choose a licensed window tint installer. Ask them to confirm the film is nonreflective and that the manufacturer's label is permanently affixed between the film and the glass in the lower left corner of each window. Avoid mirrored or metallic finishes on any window, and do not apply red, yellow, or amber tint anywhere near the windshield strip.

Fourth, if you rely on the medical exemption, obtain a signed affidavit from a New Mexico licensed physician or optometrist, make sure the vehicle is registered in the name of the affected person or their legal guardian, and keep that affidavit in the affected person's possession whenever they are riding in the vehicle. An officer who sees a window darker than 20% will ask for documentation on the spot.

Finally, check for any local ordinances or rental/leased-vehicle restrictions that may impose tighter standards than the state minimum. If you are unsure whether your film is in spec, any reputable tint shop can test the installed glass with a VLT meter before you leave the lot.

This article is general legal information, not legal advice. Window tint limits vary by state and change, and enforcement depends on local practice and your specific vehicle. For a definitive answer, check your state DMV or consult a local attorney.

Related

For rules on what you can and cannot mount on your windshield in New Mexico, see New Mexico Windshield Mounting Restrictions.

More New Mexico Laws

• New Mexico Car Accident Laws

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the legal tint in New Mexico?

New Mexico requires a minimum of 20% VLT on the front side windows, the back side windows and the rearmost window, on all vehicles. Under NMSA 66-3-846.1(B)(2) the film on all of those windows must also be nonreflective and may be used only if the vehicle is equipped with one right and one left outside rearview mirror. Multipurpose vehicles such as SUVs, vans, and RVs are exempt from the light transmission requirement behind the driver, but the nonreflective and dual-mirror conditions still apply to them.

How dark can my front windows be in New Mexico?

Front side windows must allow at least 20% of light through (20% VLT minimum), and the film must be nonreflective and installed on a vehicle that has both an outside right and an outside left rearview mirror. This is one of the darkest legal limits in the United States. A 20% VLT window blocks 80% of incoming light and appears very dark from the outside.

Is 5% tint legal in New Mexico?

Not on the front side windows, and not on a sedan's back side or rear windows: 5% VLT is darker than the 20% minimum. It is legal on the back side and rear windows of a multipurpose vehicle such as an SUV, van, or RV, because the light transmission requirement does not apply to windows behind the driver on those vehicles. The film must still be nonreflective and the vehicle must still have both outside rearview mirrors.

Is 35% tint legal on New Mexico front windows?

Yes. 35% VLT is lighter than the 20% minimum and is fully legal on front side windows in New Mexico, provided the film is nonreflective and the vehicle has one right and one left outside rearview mirror. It is also legal on back side and rear windows of all vehicles.

Can I get a medical exemption for window tint in New Mexico?

There is nothing to apply for. Under NMSA 66-3-846.1(E) the section does not apply at all to a vehicle registered in New Mexico in the name of a person, or that person's legal guardian, who has an affidavit signed by a New Mexico licensed physician or optometrist stating that the person has a physical condition making the otherwise illegal tint necessary. The affidavit must be in that person's possession at all times while they are being transported in the vehicle.

What is the penalty for illegal tint in New Mexico?

A tint violation is a penalty assessment misdemeanor, which is a criminal offense that an officer may offer to resolve on the spot with a penalty assessment of approximately $50 instead of a court appearance. Signing the penalty assessment notice acknowledges guilt. A driver who instead elects a notice to appear faces a fine on later conviction capped at the penalty assessment amount, plus up to ninety days of probation on a suspended or deferred sentence.

Do SUVs have different tint rules in New Mexico?

Yes, but the difference is narrower than it sounds. Multipurpose vehicles including SUVs, vans, buses, and RVs are exempt from the light transmission requirement on windows behind the driver, so there is no VLT minimum there. They are not exempt from the nonreflective requirement or from the rule that tinted side and rear windows require one right and one left outside rearview mirror, and the front side window and windshield rules apply to them in full.