Window Tinting Percentages by State: Is Your Tint Legal in 2023?

When we decide to tint our car’s windows it is important to consider the current legal window tinting percentages of the state that we live on (and perhaps other states we may travel frequently too!)

We can get pulled over by law enforcement and get fined just because our window tint is too dark.

Window film darkness is measured in VLT (Visible Light Transmission or how much light passes through the window).

Using the best window tint will give you all the benefits of it even if you darken your windows as little as 70% VLT (which by the way is the usually factory tint % for most manufacturers currently) but you might want it to be darker and that’s cool. Let’s see how dark can you tint it.

Table Of Contents

Window tinting percentages illustrated

In the following image you will see a sample of how much do different tint percentages actually darken your windows.

As you may see, something like 20% or lower will make your windows really dark and hard to see through so therefore there are laws that regulate how dark can you go.

This makes sense in some other way, since not only you have to be able to see through your windows clearly at night or in low visibility conditions but also law enforcement needs to be able to see the interior of the car for their own safety during a traffic stop.

However, not every state has the same restrictions.

Some states like New York are very strict while others like California are very permissive. We have collected every state’s window tinting percentages law so you can check them easily. Do notice that different percentages apply to cars and SUVs and vans.

But first, a few quick definitions to help you understand such laws.

The tint darkness is measured as the visible light transmission percentage, or VLT%
Front side windows are driver’s and front passenger windows. NOT the Windshield.
Rear side windows are any side windows behind the front side windows, and include rear-seat passenger windows
The windshield’s shade band is a band of film that extends down from the top of the windshield.
The AS1 line is a marking from the glass’ manufacturer near the top sides of the windshield.
Tint reflection refers to reflective window films, usually metallic films.
First number is for cars, the number after the slash / is for SUVs and Vans. No slash means same % for all vehicles.
Restricted colors mean color tints that are forbidden in the state. (if any)

Window tinting laws (Sorted by States)

Alabama

Front side windows: 32%
Rear side windows: 32% / no limit
Back window: 32% / no limit
Windshield: 6” shade band
Tint reflection: not more than 20% reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

Alaska

Front side windows: 70% / not permitted
Rear side windows: 40% / not permitted
Back window: 40% / not permitted
Windshield: 5” shade band
Tint reflection: non-reflective
Restricted colors: RED

Arizona

Front side windows: 33%
Rear side windows: no limit
Back window: no limit
Windshield: to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: not more than 35% reflective
Restricted colors: RED

Arkansas

Front side windows: 25%
Rear side windows: 25% / 10%
Back window: 10%
Windshield: 5” shade band
Tint reflection: non-reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

California

Front side windows: 70%
Rear side windows: no limit
Back window: no limit
Windshield: 4” shade band
Tint reflection: non-reflective
Restricted colors: RED

Colorado

Front side windows: 27%
Rear side windows: 27%
Back window: 27%
Windshield: 4” shade band
Tint reflection: non-reflective
Restricted colors: RED

Connecticut

Front side windows: 35%
Rear side windows: 35% / no limit
Back window: no limit
Windshield: down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: front windows no more than 21% reflective / rear windows no more than 27% reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

D.C.

Front side windows: 70%
Rear side windows: 50% / 35%
Back window: 50% / 35%
Windshield: the lesser of 5” shade band or down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: no current limit
Restricted colors: NONE

Delaware

Front side windows: 70%
Rear side windows: no limit
Back window: no limit
Windshield: down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: non-reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

Florida

Front side windows: 28%
Rear side windows: 15%
Back window: 15%
Windshield: down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: front windows 25% reflective / rear windows 35% reflective
Restricted colors: NONE.

Georgia

Front side windows: 32%
Rear side windows: 32% / no limit
Back window: 32% / no limit
Windshield: 6” shade band
Tint reflection: no more than 20% reflective
Restricted colors: RED

Hawaii

Front side windows: 35%
Rear side windows: 35% / no limit
Back window: 35% / no limit
Windshield: 70% on whole windshield
Tint reflection: non-reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

Idaho

Front side windows: 35%
Rear side windows: 20% / no limit
Back window: 35% / no limit
Windshield: down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: no more than 35% reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

Illinois

Front side windows: 35%
Rear side windows: 35% / no limit
Back window: 35% / no limit
Windshield: 6” shade band
Tint reflection: non-reflective
Restricted colors:NONE

Indiana

Front side windows: 30%
Rear side windows: 30% / no limit
Back window: 30% / no limit
Windshield: down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: not more than 25% reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

Iowa

Front side windows: 70%
Rear side windows: no limit
Back window: no limit
Windshield: down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: non-reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

Kansas

Front side windows: 35%
Rear side windows: 35%
Back window: 35%
Windshield: down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: non-reflective
Restricted colors: RED

Kentucky

Front side windows: 35%
Rear side windows: 18% / no limit 8” from top of window
Back window: 18% / no limit 8” from top of window
Windshield: down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: no more than 25% reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

Louisiana

Front side windows: 40%
Rear side windows: 25% / no limit
Back window: 12% / no limit
Windshield: down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: no more than 20% reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

Maine

Front side windows: 35%
Rear side windows: 35% / no limit
Back window: 35% / no limit
Windshield: 4” shade band
Tint reflection: non-reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

Maryland

Front side windows: 35%
Rear side windows: 35% / no limit
Back window: 35% / no limit
Windshield: 5” shade band
Tint reflection: non-reflective
Restricted colors: RED

Massachusetts

Front side windows: 28%
Rear side windows: 28%
Back window: 28%
Windshield: down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: not more than 35% reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

Michigan

Front side windows: top 4” only, no limit to tint
Rear side windows: no limit
Back window: no limit
Windshield: 4” shade band
Tint reflection: not more than 35% reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

Minnesota

Front side windows: 50%
Rear side windows: 50% / no limit
Back window: 50% / no limit
Windshield: not permitted
Tint reflection: not more than 20% reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

Mississippi

Front side windows: 28%
Rear side windows: 28% / no limit
Back window: 28% / no limit
Windshield: down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: not more than 20% reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

Missouri

Front side windows: 35%
Rear side windows: no limit
Back window: no limit
Windshield: down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: not more than 35% reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

Montana

Front side windows: 24%
Fear side windows: 14% / no limit
Back window: 14% / no limit
Windshield: down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: not more than 35% reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

Nebraska

Front side windows: 35%
Rear side windows: 20% / 35%
Back window: 20% / 35%
Windshield: the lesser of 5” shade band or down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: not more than 35% reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

Nevada

Front side windows: 35%
Rear side windows: no limit
Back window: no limit
Windshield: down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: no current limit
Restricted colors: NONE

New Hampshire

Front side windows: not permitted
Rear side windows: 35% / no limit
Back window: 35% / no limit
Windshield: 6” shade band
Tint reflection: non-reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

New Jersey

Front side windows: not permitted
Rear side windows: no limit
Back window: no limit
Windshield: not permitted
Tint reflection: non-reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

New Mexico

Front side windows: 20%
Rear side windows: 20% / no limit
Back window: 20% / no limit
Windshield: the lesser of 5” shade band or down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: no current limit
Restricted colors: NONE

New York

Front side windows: 70%
Rear side windows: 70% / no limit
Back window: no limit
Windshield: 6” shade band
Tint reflection: non-reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

North Carolina

Front side windows: 35%
Rear side windows: 35% / no limit
Back window: 35% / no limit
Windshield: down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: no more than 20% reflective
Restricted colors: RED

North Dakota

Front side windows: 50%
Rear side windows: no limit
Back window: no limit
Windshield: 70% applied to whole windshield
Tint reflection: non-reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

Ohio

Front side windows: 50%
Rear side windows: no limit
Back window: no limit
Windshield: 70% applied to whole windshield
Tint reflection: non-reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

Oklahoma

Front side windows: 25%
Rear side windows: 25% / no limit
Back window: 25% / no limit
Windshield: the lesser of 5’ shade band or down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: not more than 25% reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

Oregon

Front side windows: 35%
Rear side windows: 35%/ no limit
Back window: 35% / no limit
Windshield: 6” shade band
Tint reflection: not more than 13% reflective
Restricted colors: RED, GREEN, AMBER

Pennsylvania

Front side windows: 70%
Rear side windows: 70% / no limit
Back window: 70% / no limit
Windshield: not permitted
Tint reflection: non-reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

Rhode Island

Front side windows: 70%
Rear side windows: 70% / no limit
Back window: 70% / no limit
Windshield: down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: no current limit
Restricted colors: NONE

South Carolina

Front side windows: 27%
Rear side windows: 27% / no limit
Back window: 27% / no limit
Windshield: down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: non-reflective
Restricted colors: RED

South Dakota

Front side windows: 35%
Rear side windows: 20% / no limit
Back window: 20% / no limit
Windshield: down to AS1 marking on windshield
Tint reflection: non-reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

Tennessee

Front side windows: 35%
Rear side windows: 35%
Back window: 35%
Windshield: down to AS1 marking on windshield
Tint reflection: non-reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

Texas

Front side windows: 25%
Rear side windows: no limit
Back window: no limit
Windshield: the lesser of 5” shade band or down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: not more than 25% reflective
Restricted colors: RED

Utah

Front side windows: 43%
Rear side windows: no limit
Back window: no limit
Windshield: down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: non-reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

Vermont

Front side windows: not permitted
Rear side windows: no limit
Back window: no limit
Windshield: down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: non-reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

Virginia

Front side windows: 50%
Rear side windows: 35% / no limit
Back window: 35% / no limit
Windshield: down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: no more than 20% reflective
Restricted colors: RED

Washington

Front side windows: 24%
Rear side windows: 24% / no limit
Back window: 24% / no limit
Windshield: 6” shade band
Tint reflection: no more than 35% reflective
Restricted colors: RED

West Virginia

Front side windows: 35%
Rear side windows: 35% / no limit
Back window: 35% / no limit
Windshield: 5” shade band
Tint reflection: not more than 20% reflective
Restricted colors: RED

Wisconsin

Front side windows: 50%
Rear side windows: 35%
Back window: 35%
Windshield: down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: no current limit
Restricted colors: NONE

Wyoming

Front side windows: 28%
Rear side windows: 28% / no limit
Back window: 28% / no limit
Windshield: the lesser of 5’ shade band or down to AS1 marking
Tint reflection: not more than 20% reflective
Restricted colors: NONE

I hope this post was useful for you and that it help you understand the different shading grades and regulations regarding window tint percentages. You can share it with your friends using the buttons on the side.