Is My Window Tint Legal? How to Check Your Car Against Your State's Law

How do I know if my window tint is legal?

Checking your tint takes three steps:

1. 1Look up your state's limits. Our window tint laws by state table lists the standard limit for the front side windows, rear side windows, rear window and windshield in every state, with a link to the statute.
2. 2Find out what your windows actually measure. Ask a tint shop or inspection station to read each window with a tint meter. Many shops will do this quickly. Your install receipt helps, but it only tells you the film's rating, not the reading on your car.
3. 3Compare window by window. Each reading must be at or above the limit for that window. One window that is too dark is enough for a ticket.

If every window passes, your tint is legal on darkness. Then check the other rules below: reflectivity, color and the windshield.

What does VLT mean?

VLT, or visible light transmission, is the share of visible light that passes through a window. A 70% window lets through 70% of visible light and looks close to clear. A 5% window, often called limo tint, lets through very little. State limits are minimums, so a 35% limit means 35% or lighter is legal and anything darker is not.

Our guide to tint percentages explains the numbers in more detail, and the best tint percentage for light sensitivity covers how different levels feel from the driver's seat.

Why film plus factory glass reads darker than the label

This is the most common reason people fail a tint check with film they thought was legal. Car glass already blocks some light before any film goes on. Many rear windows on SUVs and trucks also have factory tint, which is pigment in the glass itself. When you add film, the two stack. A 35% film on glass that already blocks some light will read below 35% on a meter.

That is why many installers leave a margin and pick a film a step lighter than the limit for the front side windows. If you are buying film, ask the shop what the window will read once the film is on, not just what the film is rated. Our article on factory tint vs. aftermarket tint explains the difference.

How tint meters read your windows

Police and inspection stations use a handheld tint meter. One common type slides over the top edge of a rolled-down window. Another uses two pieces, one on each side of the glass. Either way, the meter shines a light through the window and shows a percentage in a few seconds.

Because the meter reads the whole window, the reading includes the glass, any factory tint, and the film. Some states write a small tolerance into the law. South Dakota, for example, allows a 9% enforcement tolerance on its limits. Most drivers should not count on a tolerance. Read how police measure window tint for what happens at a stop.

Front, rear and windshield rules

States treat each window differently, so check every line of your state's rule:

• Front side windows. These are next to the driver and front passenger, and nearly every state sets a limit here. This is where most tint tickets come from.
• Rear side windows and rear window. Many states allow darker tint behind the driver. Some allow any darkness, and some allow it only if the car has outside mirrors on both sides.
• Windshield. Usually only a strip at the top may be tinted, often down to the AS-1 line marked near the top edge of the glass. Below that, most states allow no film or only clear film. See windshield tint rules and the AS-1 line.

A few examples from our verified state pages show how much this varies. Texas allows any darkness on the rear side windows but sets a 25% limit on the front sides. Colorado requires at least 27% on every window except the windshield. Pennsylvania requires at least 70% on every window of a passenger car. Always check your state's page rather than relying on a general rule.

Reflectivity and color rules

A film can pass the darkness test and still be illegal. Many states limit how mirror-like film can be, and some ban certain colors. Washington and Oregon, for example, ban mirror finishes and some colors such as red, gold and yellow. Texas limits reflectance on the windshield strip and front side windows to 25%. If your film looks shiny or colored from outside, check this part of the law too.

What to do if your tint is too dark

You have a few options:

• Remove or replace the film on the windows that fail. Many shops can strip and replace front side film in one visit.
• Switch to a lighter film with strong UV blocking. Many quality films block most UV even when they are nearly clear, so you can keep sun protection while staying legal. See does car window tint block UV.
• Get a medical exemption, if you qualify and your state offers one. Some states have no medical exemption, and the rules differ a lot where one exists.

If you already have a ticket, read what to do about a tint ticket. If you just bought a car with dark film, see bought a used car with illegal tint.

How ShadedMD can help

If sunlight through the glass is a medical problem for you, ShadedMD offers an online evaluation in states that have a medical route. A physician licensed in your state reviews a 5-minute questionnaire, and if you are approved, a signed certificate is emailed to you. It is one flat $129, with a 30-day money-back guarantee if the physician cannot approve you. See if you qualify. This article is general information, not legal advice.

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