People tint the windows on their cars for myriad reasons. Some people like how cool it makes their car look while others apply tint to give their vehicle some privacy. Others still do it for medical reasons like sun sensitivity, albinism, or even lupus, an autoimmune disease that makes people sensitive to UV rays. Even folks with a history of skin cancer may want to look into at least light tinting to reduce the sun’s UV rays hitting their skin. Others still may use it for functionality reasons as tinted windows reduce glare and make driving safer.
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Whatever the reason, window tinting comes with an element of research. Each state in the U.S. has its own rules and regulations when it comes to window tinting. Some are fairly liberal with it, allowing much darker tints than other states while some states have banned certain dark tints entirely. In some cases, like New Hampshire, certain windows aren’t allowed to be tinted at all. Violation of the rules is typically fairly minor and includes fines around $50 to $100.
So, if you’re considering tinting your windows, make sure to look up local laws beforehand. Some states are pretty lenient when it comes to tinting while others would prefer you not have it at all. We have a list of the five most lenient and five strictest states when it comes to window tinting. The gap isn’t huge, but we ordered them by front window tint since it tends to have the most variability between all the windows.
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Window tint terminology
Before we begin, let’s go over some basic window tinting terminology. Like most things, window tinting has its own vocabulary and measurements that may seem counterintuitive to some folks. For starters, we’ll be referring to window tint by percentages. In general, the lower the percentage, the darker the tint. In this instance, the percentage measures the amount of visible light transmission — or VLT — so the smaller the number, the less light that can pass. At 0%, no visible light shines through. Car Tint Law even has a nifty slider tool that helps demonstrate the various light transmission of various window tint percentages.
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In addition, folks looking up things about window tints may also run into the AS-1 line. The AS-1 line is a line marked on the front windshield by the manufacturer that typically denotes the legal distance from the roof of the car where tint can be applied. In most cases, that line is about five inches from the top of the car. In other words, if a state only allows windshield tinting to the AS-1 line — which many do — that line is already pre-marked on the windshield so people adding a tint know where the stopping point is.
Finally, many states have rules regarding tint color and reflectivity. For example, Alaska doesn’t allow red, yellow, or amber tinting on any window and it also doesn’t allow metallic or mirrored tinting. The reason for that is metallic or mirrored tinting may reflect the sun and blind other drivers.
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Special cases
Finally, let’s take a look at some special cases in terms of tinting laws in the U.S. Some of the rules are oddly specific or downright humorous. For example, Michigan allows people to tint their front windows down to 0%, which is lower than any other state. However, drivers can only tint the top four inches of their front windows. The rest of the window must remain completely clear, and no tint can be applied there at any strength. We found a few odd rules regarding tinting and thought it would be fun to share them.
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New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Vermont do not allow any tinting whatsoever on the front windows, which makes them the worst states for tint fans. As mentioned, Michigan allows heavy tinting on part of the window but doesn’t allow any tinting on the rest of the window. When it comes to the darkest windows, Arizona, California, Delaware, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Utah, and Vermont all allow you to fully tint your backseat and rear windows. In virtually all cases, cars must have side mirrors on both sides of the car in order to be allowed to tint their rear window so drivers can still see behind them.
Meanwhile, most states allow windshield tinting, typically near the AS-1 line, give or take an inch. However, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Minnesota don’t allow any windshield tinting at all, even just the first few inches.
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Seven states (70%)
There are six states and one district that seem to begrudgingly allow window tinting to a minor extent. They include Alaska, California, Delaware, Iowa, New York, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania. The laws for these states restrict tints to 70%, which is the highest of any state aside from those that don’t allow tinting at all. However, in general, each state is more lenient for the back windows. For example, California, Delaware, and Iowa allow you to totally black out your rear windows, which means the only real restriction is the front windows.
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On the other end of the scale, Pennsylvania only allows 70% tint on all windows, making it the least friendly state when it comes to window tinting all the way around the car. They are also one of the few states that don’t allow any tinting on the windshield, even above the AS-1 line. They also allow no reflective tinting whatsoever and even require folks to have two side mirrors at 70% tint, which feels a little excessive. The rest of the states vary, but follow similar patterns to one another. They all allow darker tints in the back, at least some windshield tinting, and limit reflective tinting heavily. Washington D.C. allows 100% reflectivity, which is unusual.
There is one way around a few of these laws. Some states, including California, allow medical exemptions for window tinting. So, if you have a medical reason to need darker tints, you can in some areas.
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Minnesota, Virginia, Wisconsin, North Dakota (50%)
Minnesota, Virginia, Wisconsin, and North Dakota are next on the list with 50% tint allowed on the front windows. This is lower than average, making these four more states that don’t enjoy the benefits of deeply tinted windows. However, this aversion to front window tints doesn’t seem to translate to the back of the car. Three of these states allow any strength tint on the back windows while Wisconsin allows 35% tint. Of the four states, only Virginia restricts color, outlawing red, amber, and yellow tints. All states require dual side mirrors in order to use tints.
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Of these states, Minnesota appears to be the most restrictive. It doesn’t allow windshield tinting at all while the other three allow tints down to the AS-1 line. On the other end of the spectrum, North Dakota is one of the few states in the U.S. that allows full windshield tinting even below the AS-1 line. You are restricted to 70% tint on the windshield but that’s about the strength of a decent pair of sunglasses. If you go that route, be careful driving at night.
Other than those, the states mostly agree on the rest. All of them heavily restrict reflectivity for the most part with no state allowing more than 20% except Wisconsin, which doesn’t allow reflective tint at all. In general, 50% is enough for many folks but it is far from the darkest tint allowed in the U.S.
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Utah (43%)
Utah stands alone with its rules that you limit your tint to 43% for the front-side windows. That puts them pretty close to the middle in terms of tint allowance, with just a few percentage points above Louisiana. It’s still less than typical for a U.S. state as we’ll get into later. For the rest of the car, Utah doesn’t seem to care nearly as much. All of the back windows can be entirely blacked out if you want but you must have side mirrors on both sides of the car.
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For the windshield, Utah adheres to the AS-1 line. If your car doesn’t have one, you’ll be limited to four inches. Windshield tint cannot be reflective in Utah. Utah’s reflection policies extend to the rest of the car as well — no metallic or mirrored tinting is allowed anywhere. Tint owners also have a bit of leeway as the tint doesn’t have to be exactly 43% but it does have to be close.
Interestingly, Utah’s regulations say different things. The Utah Highway Patrol website says that 43% is the front window limit. However, the Utah State Legislature says the limit is actually 35% with a 5% variance. More sources seem to agree with the 43% number so that’s the one we went with. However, if the 35% is true, Utah would be one of many states that adhere to that limit. The best person to ask would be a law enforcement official in Utah.
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Louisiana (40%)
Louisiana begins the list with a modest 40% window tint for the front windows. That’s fairly dark in the grand scheme of things but it still makes Louisiana one of the less lenient states when it comes to window tinting. Moving around the rest of the car, the rear side windows are limited to 25% tint while the rear windshield can go as low as 12%. This is fairly typical as most states allow darker tints on the rear-side parts of the car.
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For the windshield, Louisiana uses the AS-1 line or the top five inches, whichever comes first. There doesn’t appear to be a limit to how tinted that portion of the windshield can be. In terms of reflection, window tint in Louisiana can be up to 20% reflective, which is on the lower end of the spectrum. However, no reflective tint is allowed on the windshield. In addition, folks in Louisiana can’t use red or amber tints.
Breaking the rules results in a $150 fine for a first offense, $250 for the second offense, and $350 for all following infractions. To help law enforcement, a sticker must be placed that shows your tint levels. Unlike some states, Louisiana doesn’t allow medical exemptions for tinting, likely because 40% is often dark enough for most folks.
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15 states (35%)
It seems as though 35% is a sweet spot for many states in the US. A whopping 15 states allow for 35% tint. The extensive list includes Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, and West Virginia. All of these states share the same front window law but that’s where the similarities end. Each state has its own rules for back windows, rear windshields, and windshield rules along with reflectivity and tint color restrictions. The only thing all of these states have in common is that 35% tint is the limit for the front windows.
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Still, there are a few commonalities among some of these states. For example, most states allow for darker tints on the back windows and most allow up to AS-1 or six inches of tint on the windshield. There are a few states that operate on a 35% all around rule where every window is capped at 35%. Those include North Carolina, Oregon, Massachusetts, Maryland, Hawaii, Kansas, Illinois, Tennessee, and West Virginia.
The same goes for breaking the rules. On the high end, Oregon window tint fines can reach as high as $360 per violation. The lowest we found was North Carolina at $50 per ticket at first, but even that can balloon up to over $200 with repeat infractions.
Florida, Mississippi, and Wyoming (28%)
Florida, Mississippi, and Wyoming are among the most lenient when it comes to window tinting. Each state allows 28% tint on the front windows, which is fairly dark. It makes sense in some cases. Mississippi and Florida are warmer states and window tints help keep the heat out. Mississippi and Wyoming follow a 28% all around rule where all windows are limited to 28% tint except for the windshield, which can only be tinted down to the AS-1 line. Florida deviates by allowing 15% tint on the back windows but it also follows the AS-1 guideline.
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Interestingly, all three states have separate rules for cars than they do for SUVs and vans. For the larger vehicles, Wyoming and Mississippi allow for any tint darkness, even 0%, while Florida allows residents to go down to 6%. In all three states, reflective material is illegal on the windshield but 20% to 25% is allowed on the other windows. Wyoming and Florida require you to have dual side mirrors if you intend to tint your rear windshield. Mississippi doesn’t require this at all, which is rare.
The leniency when it comes to tinting also comes at a price. In Florida, tickets for infractions can cost over $900 and Mississippi is even more strict with up to $1,000 per ticket assuming you have multiple infractions on a single ticket. Wyoming is fairly typical with just over $100 on average for infractions.
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Colorado and South Carolina (27%)
Colorado and South Carolina beat out Florida, Mississippi, and Wyoming by 1% and thus get their own spot on this list. These states have more in common than not. Both allow 27% on the front and rear windows. South Carolina allows a fully blacked out rear windshield while Colorado keeps it at 27% all the way around. Other than that both require windshields to adhere to the AS-1 line, although Colorado restricts tint to 70% whereas South Carolina allows full tint. South Carolina also has different rules for SUVs and vans where back side windows and the rear windshield can be completely tinted.
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In addition, both states outlaw reflective tints and require dual side mirrors if you tint the rear windshield. Both states also outlaw red and amber tints with South Carolina adding yellow to its ban list. Both states also take infractions rather seriously. Colorado may fine you up to $5,000 while South Carolina may add in some jail time in extreme cases. In short, these states let you rock it pretty dark but also fine you pretty heavily if you repeatedly break the rules.
Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas (25%)
Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas step it down a little further and allow as low as 25% window tint on the front side windows. From there, things deviate pretty significantly. Arkansas allow 25% tint on the back side windows and 10% on the rear windshield for cars, SUVs, and vans. Oklahoma allows 25% all around for cars while lowering the VLT on SUVs and vans to 0% on the back side windows and rear windshield. Finally, Texas allows any tint for all of the rear windows unless the vehicle doesn’t have side mirrors. In that case, it’s limited to 25% on the rear windshield.
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For the rest of the car, it’s pretty standard stuff. All three states allow up to five inches of tint on the top of the windshield. Texas and Oklahoma restrict it to the AS-1 line if it’s less than five inches. Texas and Oklahoma allow for a little bit of reflection in the tint whereas Arkansas restricts it entirely. Texas is the only one of the trio that restricts colors, prohibiting the use of red, amber, and oddly, blue tint.
Montana and Washington (24%)
Montana and Washington have a tie for second place in terms of window tint leniency with a healthy 24% tint allowed on the front windows. In Montana, the rear windows can go down to 14% on cars while SUVs and vans can go all the way down to 0%. Washington state is similar with 24% all the way around for cars while SUVs and vans can go down to 0%. Montana adheres to the AS-1 line for the windshield while Washington allows the top six inches to be tinted, regardless of the AS-1 line.
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Both states are also among the most liberal about reflective tint with both allowing up to 35% reflectivity. That’s higher than the 20% to 25% that most states allow. When it comes to colors, the two states couldn’t be more different. Montana lets you use whatever color tint you want. Washington, on the other hand, has one of the longest lists of color restrictions, including red, green, yellow, black, and amber. Both states also require dual side mirrors if you’re tinting the back windows.
New Mexico (20%)
New Mexico holds the title as the state with the most lenient tint laws in the US. At 20% tint for the front windows, you can get quite a bit of privacy and heat reduction, which is good news in a state as sunny and hot as New Mexico. For sedans, the 20% rule applies for every window. On SUVs and vans, any darkness can be used on the rear windshield and rear windows. The windshield rule is the same either way, which is non-reflective tint on the top five inches or the AS-1 line.
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While New Mexico is just fine with super dark tints, there are several restrictions in place. No reflective tint is allowed anywhere on the vehicle. Side mirrors must be installed if you tint the back windows. In addition, red, yellow, and amber are restricted colors and the state requires stickers to denote tint strength to aid law enforcement officials. Despite its already relaxed tint restrictions, New Mexico does allow medical exemptions for even darker tints. In short, if you like your car dark, the place to be is New Mexico.