Tint law is written in VLT (Visible Light Transmission): the percent of light that passes through the filmed glass. A lower percentage is a darker tint. The limit shown for each window is the darkest the law allows — VLT MAX. Front side windows are regulated most strictly almost everywhere; rear windows and windshields have separate rules, and many states also cap how reflective a film may be.
These summaries are compiled from official state sources as a planning guide, not legal advice. Laws change and enforcement varies — confirm your state's current statute before installing film.
AlabamaFront side: 32% total light transmittanceAlaskaFront side: 70% — subsection (b)(2): the driver and front passenger side windows may have tinting material that permits at least 70 percent light transmittance. No vehicle class is excepted from this figure.ArizonaFront side: Light transmission 33% plus or minus 3%, measured with the material and the glazing combined; luminous reflectance 35% plus or minus 3%ArkansasFront side: 25% — the side windows and side wings located on the immediate right or left of the driver must result in at least 25% net light transmission — § 27-37-306(b)(2)CaliforniaFront side: see pageColoradoFront side: At least 27% light transmittance — (1)(a)(I)ConnecticutFront side: 35% — front side wing vents and windows, not mirror-like in appearance, total light transmission of not less than 35%, plus or minus 3%, and luminous reflectance of 27%, plus or minus 3% (§14-99g(c)(1))DelawareFront side: 50% — the front side windows and side wings must have a light transmittance of 50 percent or greater (§ 4313(c)(1))FloridaFront side: 28% VLT MAXGeorgiaFront side: 28% (±3%)HawaiiFront side: 35% — no less than 35%, plus or minus 6%, measured with the glazing material; the same clause covers the front side wing vents (d)(7)IdahoFront side: 35% — light transmission of not less than 35%, tolerance ±3%; the same clause covers the front side vents (1)(b)IllinoisFront side: 35% light transmittance — allowed when none of the windows behind the driver's seat is treated below 35% (§ 12-503(a-5)(2)). If the rear windows go darker — none below 30% — the front figure rises to 50% (§ 12-503(a-5)(1)). Factory-installed smoked/tinted rear glass also puts the front at 50% (§ 12-503(a-5)(4)). Each figure carries a 5% variance on an officer's meter readingIndianaFront side: 30% light transmittance; total solar reflectance 25% or less (measured on the nonfilm side)IowaFront side: 50% — the front-side windows (and front sidewings) must meet transparency of 50% or more light transmittance — lowered from 70% by HF 766 effective July 1, 2026KansasFront side: 35% — total light transmission shall not be less than 35% (a)(3); the figure is a total — film and glass read together (definition of "light transmission," § 8-1749b(b))KentuckyFront side: 35% — side wings and side windows forward of or adjacent to the operator's seat: film tested on 1/8-inch clear glass must have light transmittance of at least 35% and total solar reflectance of at most 25%, measured on the nonfilm side — § (3)LouisianaFront side: 25% total light transmittance ("all tolerances included")MaineFront side: 35% — §1(C): a side window or rear window allowing "a light transmittance of less than 35% net of glass and material" is unlawful. No exception in §2 touches the front side windows.MarylandFront side: see pageMassachusettsFront side: 35% — the material's visible light transmittance must be not less than 35%, and its total visible light reflectance not more than 35% — § 9D exemption (4)MichiganFront side: The same strip rule as the windshield: film only along the top edge, within the same 4-inch / shade-band limit — (1)(a). Michigan sets no percentage for these windows — full-window film is not permitted at any darknessMinnesotaFront side: 50% — no side window may be composed of or treated with material with a light transmittance of less than 50 percent plus or minus 3 percent, or a luminous reflectance of more than 20 percent plus or minus 3 percent (Subd. 4(3))MississippiFront side: 28% — every window must test at 28% or more for the DPS label to issue (§63-7-59(2)(a))MissouriFront side: 35% light transmission, ±3% tolerance, in conjunction with safety glazing materialMontanaFront side: 24% — light transmission of less than 24% is prohibited, and luminous reflectance of more than 35% is prohibited (§ 61-9-405(4)(b))NebraskaFront side: 35% — light transmission of less than 35% is prohibited, and luminous reflectance of more than 35% is prohibited — § 60-6,257(1)(c)NevadaFront side: 35% total light transmission through film and glass combined, and the film must be nonreflective — § 484D.440(3)(a)New HampshireFront side: 70% — ¶III: where tint is applied behind the driver position, "the tinted windows to the left and right of the driver" must have light transmittance of not less than 70 percentNew JerseyFront side: No add-on tint at all — windows must remain clearNew MexicoFront side: 20% — side wings and side windows at the immediate right and left of the driver, nonreflective, on a vehicle with both outside rearview mirrors (§66-3-846.1(B)(2))New YorkFront side: 70% (§ 375(12-a)(b)(2))North CarolinaFront side: Total light transmission at least 35%; reflectance 20% or lessNorth DakotaFront side: 35% — §39-21-39(4): a window other than the windshield requires at least 35% light transmittance, film and glass combined. This is the figure HB 1340 set effective August 1, 2025 (previously 50%).OhioFront side: Light transmittance 50% or more (±3%), not red or yellow — (A)(3)OklahomaFront side: 25% — side or back windows with a substance or material in conjunction with glazing material are outside the prohibition when the combination has a light transmission of at least 25% and a luminous reflectance of at most 25% — § D.1OregonFront side: 35% total — the tinting material must itself have a light transmittance of 50% or more, a light reflectance of 13% or less, and the total light transmittance through the window with the material applied must be 35% or more — § 815.221(2)(a)–(c)PennsylvaniaFront side: 70% VLT MAXRhode IslandFront side: 70% — § 31-23.3-4(3), combined (film + glazing) transmittance of not less than 70%, measured perpendicular to the surface of the glassSouth CarolinaFront side: 27% combined light transmission (film + factory material) — subsection (C)South DakotaFront side: 35% — the side windows forward of or adjacent to the operator's seat (and the side wing vents): combined light transmittance through the one-way glass, adhesive film material, or other glaze may not fall below 35%, with a 9% enforcement tolerance (§ 32-15-2.4)TennesseeFront side: It is unlawful to operate a vehicle in which any window (that meets FMVSS No. 205) has been treated with material having visible light transmittance of less than 35%TexasFront side: 25% VLT MAXUtahFront side: 35% — a front side window may not allow less than 35% light transmittance, with no more than a 5% variance observed by a peace officer metering the light transmittance — § (1)(b)VermontFront side: No tint allowed — the side windows located immediately to the left and right of the operator, and the vent windows, are inside the (a) prohibition. The section sets no percentage for these windows; the only route to tint on them is the (c) medical exemption.VirginiaFront side: 50% total light transmittance — § 46.2-1052(D)(2)WashingtonFront side: Light transmission 24% or more; total reflectance 35% or less — (5)(a)West VirginiaFront side: 35% — side wings and side windows at the immediate right and left of the driver: light transmission of not less than 35%, reflectivity of not more than 20%, nonreflective type (§ 17C-15-36a(c))WisconsinFront side: 50% — film applied to the inside of the glazing: the combination of glazing and film must permit passage of at least 50% of the visible light striking the windows, and the film may not be reflective — § Trans 305.32(4)(b)2. Manufacturer-tinted glazing installed as part of the original manufacturing process is also permitted — § Trans 305.32(4)(b)1. No sign, poster, or other nontransparent material may be on these windows other than a governmental certificate or sticker — § Trans 305.32(4)(a)WyomingFront side: 28% — subsection (d): windows or wings at the immediate right and left of the driver must be nonreflective with total light transmission through the device and glazing of not less than 28%. No exception in the section touches the front side windows of any vehicle class, MPVs included.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the darkest legal tint in the United States?
There is no single national limit — each state sets its own. Front side windows range from 70% VLT MAX in the strictest states to 25-35% in the most permissive. Pick your state above for its exact numbers.
Can I get a ticket for tint that's too dark?
Yes. Over-dark tint is a common equipment violation. Penalties range from a warning or fix-it ticket to a fine — and the film usually has to come off either way, which costs more than choosing a legal shade in the first place.