Window tint can help reduce glare, increase privacy, and keep a vehicle cooler. Also, tint that exceeds state limits on darkness may result in a traffic citation, fines, inspection problems, or a requirement to remove or replace the tint.

Window tint laws are not uniform across the United States. Each state can establish its own requirements for how much visible light must pass through the windshield and other windows. But what is the legal tint?

Federal vehicle safety standards also address window visibility, with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Standard No. 205 requiring at least 70% light transmittance for glazing areas needed for driving visibility on new vehicles.  

A tint that is legal in one state may therefore be too dark in another. Here’s what can happen when window tint is too dark, how tint laws are measured, and what penalties drivers may face. 

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