North Dakota Window Tint Laws (2026): Legal VLT Limits

North Dakota requires side and rear windows to allow at least 35% visible light transmission (VLT) following the 2025 HB 1340 amendment, which lowered the limit from 50% and took effect August 1, 2025. The windshield must allow at least 70% VLT below the AS-1 line, with a non-reflective strip permitted above it.

What is the legal tint limit in North Dakota?

North Dakota's tint limit changed in 2025. HB 1340 amended and reenacted subsection 4 of N.D. Cent. Code 39-21-39, effective August 1, 2025, lowering the minimum VLT for windows other than the windshield from 50% to 35%. That one subsection was the only part of the statute the bill touched: subsections 1, 2, 3 and 5 were left exactly as they were. Drivers may now run moderately darker tint than the prior law allowed.

Higher VLT percentages mean a lighter (less dark) tint; lower percentages mean darker tint. At 35% VLT, a window allows just over one-third of visible light through, which is common for aftermarket tint across most of the country.

The dual-mirror exception is significant, but it carries a condition that is easy to miss. Subsection 4 stops applying to windows behind the operator only where the vehicle is equipped with outside mirrors on both sides that meet the requirements of N.D. Cent. Code 39-21-38, which means each mirror is located so as to reflect to the driver a view of the highway for at least 200 feet to the rear. Where the vehicle meets that condition, there is no VLT minimum for the windows behind the driver. The 35% minimum applies to front side windows regardless of mirrors.

Windshield tint rules in North Dakota

The windshield carries the strictest restriction in the state's tint law. At least 70% of visible light must pass through the windshield below the manufacturer's AS-1 line or the top 5 inches, whichever is lower. This effectively prohibits any aftermarket tinting film that noticeably darkens the glass in the main viewing area.

A non-reflective tint strip is permitted above the AS-1 line. This is the classic "eyebrow" strip found on many vehicles, and it does not need to meet the 70% requirement because it sits outside the primary driving line of sight.

The 2025 HB 1340 amendment did not change the windshield rules, which remain at the 70% threshold. Drivers who want some heat or UV protection on the windshield should look for clear or nearly clear UV-blocking film that does not reduce visible light transmission to comply with the 70% floor.

Medical exemptions

North Dakota has no medical exemption for window tint. N.D. Cent. Code 39-21-39 sets the transmittance limits in subsection 4 and carves out only two things: windows behind the operator on a vehicle with qualifying outside mirrors on both sides, and non-reflective material above the AS-1 line or within the top five inches of the windshield. Nowhere in the section is there an exemption for lupus, photosensitivity, or any other medical condition.

The 2025 amendment did not change that. HB 1340 amended subsection 4 alone, swapping "fifty" for "thirty-five" and "that" for "which", so it neither created nor eliminated an exemption process. Readers sometimes assume the 2025 bill took a medical exemption away; it did not, because there was never one in the statute to take.

The practical consequence is that a physician's letter has no statutory effect on the 35% standard. An officer at the roadside has no codified exemption to apply, and neither does a court. If you have a documented sun-sensitivity condition, you can contact the North Dakota Highway Patrol to ask how the agency handles these stops in practice, but plan on meeting the 35% standard.

How tint is measured and certified

VLT is measured as the combined transmittance of both the aftermarket film and the factory glass together. This is an important distinction: the factory glass in your vehicle already blocks some light, so a film sold as "35% VLT" may yield a combined reading below 35% when the factory glass is considered. Always ask your installer to test the combined reading after installation.

North Dakota does not require a compliance sticker on the tinted windows by statute. However, keeping the installer's documentation in the vehicle is a reasonable precaution. If an officer questions your tint, having a certificate showing the measured VLT values for each window can help resolve the encounter without a citation.

The statute measures the tinting "in conjunction with" the window it is applied to, so factory tint counts toward the cumulative VLT reading. If your vehicle came from the manufacturer with rear glass that already transmits only 70% or 80% of light, adding any aftermarket film will push the combined reading lower, potentially below 35%. This is especially relevant for back side windows on newer vehicles that often have some factory shading built in.

Penalties for illegal tint in North Dakota

Penalties for tint violations in North Dakota are modest, and the amount is fixed by statute rather than by agency policy. N.D. Cent. Code 39-06.1-06 sets a $20 fee for both nonmoving and moving violations, and a tint violation lands in one category or the other depending on the circumstances of the stop: 39-06.1-08(2) treats a violation of 39-21-39 discovered while the vehicle is not actually being operated as a nonmoving violation, while 39-06.1-09 sweeps chapter 39-21 violations into the moving-violation definition otherwise. Either way the fee is $20, one of the lower amounts in the country for a tint violation.

The fee is not necessarily the whole exposure, and this is the part drivers tend to miss. N.D. Cent. Code 39-06.1-10(3) assigns 2 points against a driving record for knowingly driving with defective, nonexistent, or unlawful equipment in violation of section 39-21-46, and 39-21-46 reaches a vehicle the driver knows is equipped in any manner in violation of chapter 39-21, which includes the tint limits in 39-21-39. The knowledge element is doing real work here: points do not attach automatically to every tint stop, and a driver who genuinely did not know the film measured below 35% has an argument against the point assessment. But a driver who has tint installed knowing it is darker than the limit should not assume the consequence is capped at $20. Points accumulate, and 12 points on a record triggers a license suspension under 39-06.1-10.

Installers should note that the 2025 amendment made the standard more permissive, not stricter. Tint installed to satisfy the old 50% minimum transmits more light than 35% and stays legal. The vehicles whose status actually changed are those with tint measuring between 35% and 50% VLT: that tint violated the old 50% floor and became legal on August 1, 2025. Tint measuring below 35% VLT was illegal before the amendment and remains illegal now.

If you want to tint your windows in North Dakota

Begin by choosing a tint film with a final combined VLT (film plus factory glass) of at least 35% for your front side windows. If your vehicle has factory glass that already transmits less than 100% of light, you may need a lighter film to stay above the 35% floor. A good installer will measure this before and after application.

For windows behind the driver, confirm whether your vehicle has outside mirrors on both sides that meet N.D. Cent. Code 39-21-38, meaning each reflects to the driver a view of the highway for at least 200 feet to the rear. If it does, there is no VLT floor for those windows, and you can go as dark as you prefer. If it does not, those windows must also meet the 35% minimum.

For the windshield, only a non-reflective strip above the AS-1 line is permitted. The rest of the windshield must stay at 70% or higher. Clear UV-blocking films that do not reduce visible light are a good option if you want protection without risking a citation.

Because North Dakota does not require a compliance sticker, ask your installer for a written record of the measured combined VLT for each window. Bear in mind that the statute provides no medical exemption, so the 35% standard applies whatever your circumstances.

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.

For related information on what you can place on your windshield, see the North Dakota windshield mounting restrictions page.

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