AUTO WINDOW TINTING LAWS AND TERMS EXPLAINED

State laws regarding window tint, in general, regulate the required amount of visible light transmission or VLT that passes through your tinted windows.
Laws also vary depending what type vehicle you own, a passenger car or Multi-Purpose Vehicle.
As both window tint and window glass block some available light transmission, the law first defines which way it measures.
  • FILM - Measures the light transmission of the window tint only
  • FILM + GLASS - Measures the total light transmission of the window tint and glass, after the window tint has been applied to glass
  • VAGUE - The law/langauge is unclear. This means the laws are then subject to interpretation by local law enforcement.

The law now defines how dark you can tint your windows on either your passenger vehicle (typically a car) or your Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV - typically a vehicle used for passengers or deliveries on a truck chassis or 4 wheel drive). The law then can define separately how dark the windshield, front side windows, back side windows, and rear windows can be as follows.
  • WINDSHIELD - If a measurement appears in this area, you may have a tint visor as far down as the number of inches specified. If AS-1 appears, you may have a tint visor as far down as the AS-1 line marked on your windshield. The AS-1 is marked as such at the edge of your windshield usually about 5 inches down from the top.
  • FRONT SIDE, BACK SIDE, REAR WINDOW - Defines the amount of visible light transmission or VLT required for each window on the specified type of vehicle (car or MPV). This allowed darkness or VLT is usually indicated with a percentage indicating the amount of light that must pass through the window to be legal. Some states are listed as NR, indicating that the law permits unspecified "non-obstructive/restrictive" or "transparent spectrally selective" tinting materials.

The last sections are yes/no sections.
  • LEFT & RIGHT MIRROR - some states require that you have left and right mirrors installed if you tint your windows. Yes indicates that they are required.
  • CERTIFICATE REQUIRED - Some states require manufacturers or installation shops to certify their window tint as meeting legal requirements usually by measuring the tinting with a VLT meter. A yes indicates that this is required.
  • STICKER/LOCATION - Some states require a sticker on the vehicle indicating that is legal tinting.

O - RECOMMENDED - usually for states that allow "officer discretion" in enforcement of the law.
O - YES - sticker required
O - NO - sticker not required
O - SPEC - sticker required in a specific place

X - DRIVER - required between window tint and glass on driver's side window
X - DOOR - required on driver's side doorjamb
X - ALL - required between window tint and glass on each tinted window

MEDICAL EXEMPTION - refers to whether or not the state allows medical documentation to allow for darker than legal tint for certain medical conditions.

** These tables are guides only. Please refer to your state's laws are regulations as well as local regulations before tinting any windows, either as a customer purchasing window tint, or an installer applying window tint.


STATE
YEAR
TYPE
WINDSHIELD
F.SIDE
B.SIDE
(CAR)
B.SIDE
(MPV)
REAR
(CAR)
REAR
(MPV)
L.-R MIRR
REQ.
CERTIF.
REQ.
STCKR/LOC
MEDICAL

ALABAMA96NET6"3232ANY32ANYNOYESSPEC / ALLYES
ALASKA94NET5"NO37NO37NONONONOYES
ARIZONA84NETAS133ANYANYANYANYYESNONOYES
ARKANSAS93NET5"2525101010NONOSPEC / DRIVERYES
CALIFORNIA99NET4"70ANYANYANYANYYESNONOYES
COLORADO either88NET4"2727272727YESNORECOMMENDNO
COLORADO88NET4"NOANYANYANYANYNONONONO
CONNECTICUT94NETAS13535ANYANYANYYESYESSPEC / ALLNO
DELAWARE92NETAS170ANYANYANYANYYESNOSPEC / DRIVERYES
FLORIDA91NETAS128156156YESNOSPEC / DOORYES
GEORGIA89NET6"3232ANY32ANYNOYESSPEC / WNDSHLDYES
HAWAII89NET4"29292929ANYYESNONONO
IDAHO92FILMAS13520ANY35ANYYESNONOYES
ILLINOIS89NET6"NOANYANYANYANYYESNONOYES
INDIANA95VAGUEAS13030VAGUE30VAGUENOYESNOYES
IOWA83NETAS170ANYANYANYANYNONONONO
KANSAS87NETAS13535353535YESNORECOMMENDNO
KENTUCKY88FILMAS135188188NOYESSPEC / DOORNO
LOUISIANA93NETAS14025ANY12ANYNOYESSPEC / DRIVERNO
MAINE89FILM4"5050ANY50ANYYESYESNONO
MARYLAND95FILM5"3535ANY35ANYYESYESSPEC / ALLYES
MASSACHUSETTS85NET6"3535353535YESNORECOMMENDYES
MICHIGAN81NET4"4"ANYANYANYANYNONONOYES
MINNESOTA85VAGUENO5050505050NONOSPEC / DRIVERYES
MISSISSIPPI88NETAS13535353535NOYESSPEC / ALLYES
MISSOURI87NETAS1NOANYANYANYANYYESNONOYES
MONTANA91FILMAS13520ANY20ANYNONORECOMMENDYES
NEBRASKA94VAGUEAS13520352035VAGUENONONO
NEVADA93NETAS135ANYANYANYANYYESYESNOYES
NEW hAMPSHIRE90NET6"NO35ANY35ANYYESNORECOMMENDNO
NEW JERSEY2000NETNONOANYANYANYANYYESNONOYES
NEW MEXICO97NETAS1 OR 5"2020ANY20ANYYESYESSPEC / DRIVERYES
NEW YORK91NET6"7070ANYANYANYYESNOSPEC / ALLNO
N. CAROLINA95NETAS13232ANY32ANYYESNONONO
N. DAKOTA89NETAS1NOANYANYANYANYYESNONOYES
OHIO88NET5"5050505050NOYESSPEC / ALLYES
OKLAHOMA95NETAS1 OR 5"2525ANY25ANYYESYESNOYES
OREGON95NET6"3535ANY35ANYYESYESNOYES
PENNSYLVANIA99NETNO7070ANYVESC 8ANYYESNOSPEC / REARYES
RHODE ISLAND2000NETAS17070ANY70ANYNONONONO
S. CAROLINA92NETAS12727ANY**27ANYYESYESSPEC / ALLYES
S. DAKOTA89NETAS135NRNRNRNRNOYESNONO
TENNESSEE89VAGUEAS13535ANY35ANYNONOSPEC / DRIVERYES
TEXAS87FILM5"3535ANYANYANYYESYESSPEC / DRIVERYES
UTAh94NETAS14328ANY28ANYYESNONONO
VERMONT84NETAS1NOANYANYANYANYYESNONONO
VIRGINIA93NETAS15035ANY28ANYYESNONONEYES
WASHINGTON93FILM6"3535ANY35ANYYESYESSPEC / DRIVERYES
WEST VIRGINIA91NET5"3535ANY35ANYYESYESSPEC / ALLYES
WISCONSIN96NETAS15035353535YESNONOYES
WYOMING96NETAS1 OR 5"2828ANY28ANYYESNONOYES
**Pick-Up Trucks are not considered MPV's