Vermont Windshield Mounting Laws (2026 Guide)

Vermont allows dashcams, GPS units, and phone mounts on the windshield within specific zones under 23 VSA 1125. The lower right corner permits devices up to 4 inches high by 12 inches long, and the upper left corner allows up to 2 inches high by 2.5 inches wide.

Vermont restricts what drivers can mount on or attach to their windshields through 23 VSA 1125. The law does not impose a total ban on all windshield-mounted devices but sets strict size and placement limits. Understanding these rules is essential whether you use a dashcam, GPS unit, or phone mount.

Vermont Windshield Obstruction Law (23 VSA 1125)

Under 23 VSA 1125, no person may operate a motor vehicle on which material or items have been painted on, adhered to, or hung behind any transparent part of the windshield, vent windows, or side windows located immediately to the left and right of the operator.

The statute also reaches items hung in back of the windshield, vent windows, or side windows immediately to the left and right of the operator, and its hanging-item prohibition applies only when the hanging item materially obstructs the driver's view. It does not reach items hung elsewhere in the vehicle. Air fresheners, parking passes, and similar items are allowed only when they do not create a meaningful visual obstruction.

Vermont treats windshield obstruction as a civil traffic violation handled through the Judicial Bureau rather than the criminal courts.

Permitted Windshield Zones

Vermont law carves out specific areas of the windshield where nontransparent materials are allowed:

The upper right corner allowance of 4 inches by 18 inches, and a separate 3 inch by 6 inch upper-left allowance, apply specifically to licensed dealers displaying required documentation. Standard drivers should focus on the upper left, lower right, and behind-mirror zones.

GPS and Phone Mount Rules

Vermont does not have a standalone statute authorizing GPS or phone mounts on the windshield. Instead, the state's hands-free driving law (23 VSA 1095b) defines how portable electronic devices must be mounted.

Under this law, a device qualifies as "securely mounted" when it is placed in an accessory specifically designed to support hands-free use and is not affixed to the windshield in violation of section 1125. The mount must either follow manufacturer specifications or keep the device completely stationary under typical driving conditions.

In practice, this means windshield-mounted phone holders are restricted to the permitted zones described above. Drivers who want a phone or GPS visible while navigating should consider a dashboard mount or vent clip to avoid any conflict with section 1125.

Hands-Free Interaction

Vermont's hands-free law prohibits holding a portable electronic device while driving. Drivers may use a single touch or swipe to activate or deactivate hands-free features, but only when the device is securely mounted or the action is performed through the vehicle's built-in system.

Texting, scrolling, and manual dialing while driving are prohibited. Voice commands and single-touch navigation activation are permitted when the device is properly mounted.

Dashcam Placement

Vermont does not have a specific dashcam statute. Dashcams are treated like any other windshield-mounted device under 23 VSA 1125.

A dashcam that fits within the lower right windshield zone (4 inches high by 12 inches long) is the only clearly legal windshield placement. The behind-the-mirror exemption in section 1125(b)(6) is written narrowly: it covers a rearview mirror and an electronic toll-collection transponder, and nothing else. Subsection (b) is a closed list of exceptions, so a dashcam adhered to the glass behind the mirror falls under the general prohibition and matches no listed exemption. That spot is inconspicuous and rarely draws a citation, but treat it as a practical tolerance rather than a legal permission.

Dashboard-mounted cameras avoid windshield placement issues entirely and are always permitted as long as they do not interfere with the driver's control of the vehicle.

Windshield Tinting

Vermont regulates windshield tinting through the same statute (23 VSA 1125). The general rule prohibits applying any nontransparent material to the windshield or front side windows.

Factory-installed tinting that meets federal safety standards is permitted. Aftermarket tinting applied to the windshield is prohibited outright and is a cause for inspection rejection. Aftermarket tinting on the vent or side windows immediately to the left and right of the driver is allowed only under a medical exemption.

Medical Exemption for Tinting

The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles may grant an exemption for a person who needs sun shielding for medical reasons. The application must include a document signed by a licensed physician or optometrist certifying the medical necessity. The exemption applies only to the vent windows or side windows immediately to the left and right of the operator.

Medical tint certifications must be renewed every four years.

Electronic Toll Transponders

Electronic toll-collection transponders receive a specific exemption under 23 VSA 1125. They may be placed either between the roof line and the rearview mirror post or behind the rearview mirror.

This exemption is relevant for Vermont drivers who use E-ZPass or similar transponders when traveling on toll roads in neighboring states.

Inspection Sticker Placement

Vermont requires annual vehicle inspections, and the inspection sticker must be displayed on the windshield. The sticker sits under its own exemption in 23 VSA 1125(b)(2), which allows a government-required sticker in such space as the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles may specify. That is a separate carve-out from the size-limited corner allowances, so the inspection sticker does not have to fit inside the 2 inch by 2.5 inch upper left space. The DMV Periodic Inspection Manual states only that inspection stickers must be affixed to the windshield in a location specified by the Commissioner, without naming a corner.

During a vehicle inspection, examiners will check for windshield obstructions. Items that violate section 1125 may result in an inspection failure.

The 2026 Tint Inspection Change That Never Took Effect

Vermont enacted a tinted-window package in 2024 (Act 165, Secs. 14 through 16) that was scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2026. It would have added a visible-light-transmission allowance to section 1125 and declared that a vehicle with non-compliant tint should fail the annual safety inspection required under 23 VSA 1222.

That package never took effect. Act 66 of 2025, Sec. 38, deleted Secs. 14, 15, and 16 of Act 165 outright, and that deletion took effect on July 1, 2025, a year before the tint provisions would have arrived. Section 1125 therefore reads today exactly as it did before, with no visible-light-transmission subsection.

The current DMV Periodic Inspection Manual matches that outcome. Aftermarket tint applied to the windshield is a cause for rejection at inspection, while aftermarket tint on the windows immediately to the driver's left and right is still an advise-the-customer item noting a possible section 1125 violation rather than an automatic failure. The windshield mounting and obstruction rules described above were never part of the repealed package and are unchanged.

Penalties for Violations

Windshield obstruction violations under 23 VSA 1125 are handled as civil traffic violations through the Vermont Judicial Bureau.

The waiver penalty of $220 allows drivers to resolve the ticket without appearing before the Judicial Bureau. Drivers who contest the ticket and lose may face a fine anywhere within the $47 to $1,197 range at the hearing officer's discretion.

Exemptions

• Vermont Sexting Laws
• Vermont Statute of Limitations
• Vermont Child Support Laws
• Vermont Whistleblower Laws

More Vermont Laws

• Vermont Window Tint Laws
• Vermont Dashcam Laws
• Vermont Hit and Run Laws

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I mount a GPS or phone on my windshield in Vermont?

Vermont restricts windshield-mounted devices to specific zones: up to 4 inches high by 12 inches long in the lower right corner, or up to 2 inches high by 2.5 inches long in the upper left corner. Under the hands-free law (23 VSA 1095b), phone mounts must not be affixed to the windshield in violation of section 1125. Dashboard mounts and vent clips are the safest alternatives.

Are dashcams legal in Vermont?

Yes. Vermont does not have a specific dashcam law, so a windshield-mounted dashcam is governed by 23 VSA 1125. The clearly legal windshield placement is the lower right corner zone, up to 4 inches high by 12 inches long. The behind-the-mirror exemption covers only a rearview mirror and an electronic toll transponder, so a dashcam mounted there is not actually exempt, even though it rarely draws a citation. Dashboard-mounted cameras avoid the issue entirely.

What is the fine for windshield obstruction in Vermont?

Fines range from $47 to $1,197. The standard waiver penalty, which allows you to pay without contesting the ticket, is $220. No license points are assessed for this violation.

Can I hang an air freshener from my rearview mirror in Vermont?

Vermont law prohibits hanging items behind the windshield only when the item materially obstructs the driver's view. A small air freshener that does not block visibility is generally permitted, but a large or bulky hanging item could result in a citation.

Can I get a medical exemption for window tinting in Vermont?

Yes. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles may grant an exemption for drivers who need sun shielding for medical reasons. You must submit a document signed by a licensed physician or optometrist certifying the medical necessity. The exemption covers vent windows and side windows next to the driver and must be renewed every four years.