A lot of you have asked me about what is legal and not legal when it comes to window tint for your car, and even though Stop The Sun, Inc. only does residential and commercial projects and does not do any type of window tinting for automobiles, we still wanted to provide some information to help you, our customer, out:
Legal Window Tint Information:
Automobile window tinting reduces the visible light transmission (VLT) through car windows. This can be problematic at night, when motorists must be able to see through the windows of other vehicles in order to spot hazards which would otherwise be obstructed. Police also may want to be able to identify the passengers in a vehicle.
In many jurisdictions, there are laws to ensure darkness of films do not present a danger to motorists:
Here are Tint Limits by U.S. state:
| State | VLT | State | VLT | State | VLT |
| Alabama | 32% | Louisiana | 40% | Ohio | 50% |
| Alaska | 70% | Maine | 50% | Oklahoma | 25% |
| Arizona | 33% | Maryland | 35% | Oregon | 35% |
| Arkansas | 25% | Massachusetts | 35% | Pennsylvania | 70% |
| California | 70% | Michigan | 70% | Rhode Island | 70% |
| Colorado | 27% | Minnesota | 50% | South Carolina | 27% |
| Connecticut | 35% | Mississippi | 28% | South Dakota | 35% |
| Delaware | 70% | Missouri | 35% | Tennessee | 35% |
| Florida | 28% | Montana | 35% | Texas | 25% |
| Georgia | 32% | Nebraska | 35% | Utah | 43% |
| Hawaii | 35% | Nevada | 28% | Vermont | 70% |
| Idaho | 35% | New Hampshire | 70% | Virginia | 43% |
| Illinois | 35% | New Jersey | 100% | Washington | 35% |
| Indiana | 30% | New Mexico | 20% | West Virginia | 35% |
| Iowa | 70% | New York | 70% | Wisconsin | 50% |
| Kansas | 35% | North Carolina | 32% | Wyoming | 28% |
| Kentucky | 35% | North Dakota | 70% |
As a reminder, Stop The Sun, San Diego’s Premiere Window Film Dealer does not do any type of automobiles. We only deal with flat glass on residential and commercial buildings. For your flat glass needs, please give us a call or contact us through email!
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
The legal limit for tint varies per State and applies only to cars. There is also a difference between what is allowed on the front windows and what is allowed on the back windows.
Steve Chambers
Body Language Expert
This is interesting to see that Washington state has a 35% limit on window tinting and I often see cars with at least 80% tint. I wonder how the drivers can even see out of the side or back windows.
Thanks for the info!
Sabrina Peterson, NASM CPT,CES
Corrective Exercise for Every Body
Thanks for the chart on the legal limits of window tint. I can now see that most of the cars in my state are illegal with their windows.
Tim Van Milligan, helping you Make Money Online, God’s Way!
That was nice of you to throw that bonus in there! Tinted windows in a car can really help with summer heat.
Shane
Hypnosis – Change Your Thoughts and Change Your Life -.
I have often found that giving customers the answer to a question that really has nothing to do with what I am selling will cause them to trust me further…nice job with this one!
Sonya Lenzo
http://www.yourchanceforromance.com
This is a very handy chart. Thanks for including it here even though
you don’t do window tinting for vehicles.
Michael
The Success Secrets
Whats the point of having windows in vehicles for people in New Jersey anyway!?
Mark
Direct Selling Advice, Leveraging Relationships for Long-term Profit
Do the cute officers come up the window tint upgrade?
Happy Dating and Relationships,
April Braswell
Cyberdating Expert and Online Dating Coach
Those are real San Diego police in that picture! And, no, they do not come with the upgrade. Sorry!
Yea my state will let you have very little tint. Appreciate you showing us the chart.
Mike
Safety Is Everyones Business
Good to know. Interesting variance in the levels of tint per state. 100% is allowed in New Jersey? Hmmm, wonder why that is!:-)
Peggy Larson
Quilting – Colors and Fun!
So does 100% mean that you can completely block out light in New Jersey??? We pretty high at 70% in New York. I also thought you could only do the back windows and not the driver’s or front passenger side windows…
Jen B
The Harwood Group – Tinnitus, Chronic Illness, Fears, and Anxiety
I had no idea that every state had different ratings..I do remeber in Chicago they mad my friend take his off his car.
It’s great that you provided the information, even though it doesn’t directly pertain to your company. It is going that extra step that makes people come back for more.
Michelle
Fun and Free Activities
I love the 100% tint regulation for New Jersey! Easier to paint the windows with black spray paint. Thanks for this info.
Seize the Day,
Rob
Simple Family Survival Tips For Disasters and Emergencies
I can see how limiting the darkness on car windows would need to legislated – unfortunately, humans sometimes force govs to interfer in these matters because they push past the limits of common sense.
Eileen
ESL: A Business?
7 Ways To Use Twitter For Marketing
In California I know you can have a certian tint on the back and the front but the front side windows are against the law.
Huge difference between states. Interesting!
Lisa McLellan
Babysitting Services, Nanny Services, and Nanny agencies
Just so you all know, the percentages referenced above refer to the amount of light allowed in the car. So if it’s 100%, that means you can’t have ANY tint on your window. If it’s 25%, like it Texas, that means you can have tint that only lets in 25% of the light from outside, meaning it will be dark tint. The smaller the percentage number, the darker the tint.
All depends on where you live, with window tinting you can go from the clear to block 99.6% of
UV rays (as all tint does) & 20% of the heat all the way to the
ultra dark silver that blocks 82% of the suns solar energy. You
have many choices in between. My 2 cents.
Thanks for the chart….Jen summed everything up cause I was thinking like everybody else …I was just asked by a “TROOPER” if I knew what the legal percentage of tint was ….and I had no clue at all..so thanks again for the info..well appreciated!
The lower the tint % the darker it is its not the higher the percentage the darker it is the limos have 10% n thats dark
This are very good information especially to people who are just new in the places mentioned. This article will come in handy.