Texas Window Tint Laws: What Is the Legal Tint in Texas?
Short answer
Partly. Texas allows window tint, but front side windows must let in at least 25% of light under Transportation Code § 547.613. Windows behind the driver can be any darkness, and so can the back window if both outside mirrors show 200 feet of road behind you.
Last verified October 24, 2026 against current Texas law
The legal tint in Texas depends on which window you are talking about. Your front side windows have a hard limit, your windshield has a narrow strip where tint is allowed, and the windows behind the driver are not capped at all. Most tickets happen because a driver or a shop treated all the glass the same.
This page gives the exact numbers for every window, explains the percentages in plain terms, covers the medical exemption, and shows what a tint ticket costs. It also answers the questions Texans search most, such as whether 5% or 20% tint is legal.
| Front side windows | At least 25% light transmission and no more than 25% reflectance |
|---|---|
| Windshield | Tint only above the AS-1 line (or the top 5 inches), at least 25% light transmission, and never red, blue or amber |
| Rear side windows | No darkness limit |
| Rear window | No darkness limit if both outside mirrors show at least 200 feet of road behind you |
| Penalty | Misdemeanor with a fine from $1 to $200 |
| Main laws | Transportation Code §§ 547.613, 547.004, 542.401, 37 Texas Administrative Code § 21.3 |
| Medical tint | A defense, supported by a signed statement from a licensed physician or optometrist |
What is the legal tint in Texas?
The legal tint in Texas is 25% light transmission or higher on the two front side windows. That means the glass and film together must let at least 25% of visible light through. Rear side windows and, with two outside mirrors, the back window can be as dark as you like.
The rule comes from Transportation Code § 547.613, and the Department of Public Safety explains how it applies in 37 Texas Administrative Code § 21.3. The same section limits reflectance. Front side windows and the windshield strip cannot reflect more than 25% of light, so mirror-style film is out.
Light transmission is often called VLT, short for visible light transmission. A higher number means a lighter tint. A 25% film passes about one quarter of the light, and a 5% film passes about one twentieth.
Texas window tint law by window
Texas sets different limits for each piece of glass, so the safest approach is to check each window separately. Here is how the rules break down.
| Window | Minimum light transmission | Other limits |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield | 25% (combined with the original glass), in the allowed strip only | Tint must stay above the AS-1 line, or within 5 inches of the top if there is no AS-1 line. No red, blue or amber. |
| Front side windows (driver and front passenger) | 25% | Reflectance 25% or less |
| Rear side windows | None | No limit under the Transportation Code |
| Rear window | None, if both outside mirrors show 200 feet behind you | Without two qualifying mirrors, 25% and 25% reflectance apply |
These rules apply to cars, SUVs, pickups and vans alike for the front side windows and windshield. The AS-1 line is a small marking printed near the top corner of most windshields. Texas treats the area above it as the place where a sun strip is allowed.
What is the darkest legal tint in Texas?
The darkest legal tint in Texas depends on the window. On the front side windows it is 25%. On the rear side windows and the back window, there is no legal minimum, so even a 5% limo tint is allowed, as long as the back window rule about outside mirrors is met.
That is why many cars you see around Texas look two-toned, with lighter glass up front and very dark glass behind the driver. The split is legal. What is not legal is putting the same dark film on the front doors.
Is 5 tint legal in Texas?
Yes, but only on some windows. A 5% tint is legal on the rear side windows and on the back window when you have two outside mirrors that show at least 200 feet behind you. It is not legal on the front side windows or on the windshield below the allowed strip.
A 5% film is dark enough that you may struggle to see out at night. The law does not ban it behind the driver, but good mirrors matter more with it.
Is 20 tint legal in Texas?
No, not on the front side windows. A 20% film lets in less than the 25% required, so it fails on the front doors. It is legal on the rear side windows and the back window under the rules above.
This surprises people because 20% sounds close to 25%. The law uses a minimum, and 20% is below it. Buyers also sometimes forget that factory glass already blocks some light, and the film adds to that. The 25% figure counts the film and the glass together.
Is windshield tint legal in Texas?
Partly. Texas allows a sunscreen strip across the top of the windshield, above the AS-1 line or within 5 inches of the top if your glass has no line. The strip must have at least 25% light transmission, reflect no more than 25%, and not be red, blue or amber.
Tint below that strip is not allowed without a medical exemption. Clear, untinted ultraviolet film is the exception. The Department of Public Safety says clear UV film may be used anywhere on the windshield without an exemption.
Do the rules change for SUVs, trucks and vans?
For the front side windows and windshield, no. The 25% rule applies to every passenger vehicle, including SUVs, pickups and vans. What changes is how the back of the vehicle is treated, because large vehicles often have privacy glass from the factory.
Factory tint is not the same as film added later. The statute exempts windows that come from the manufacturer, and the rear glass of many SUVs and trucks is dark for that reason. If you add film over it, the added film still has to meet the limits for that window.
Texas tint exemptions and the medical exemption
Texas lets drivers with a medical need use darker front tint. You need a signed statement from a licensed physician or licensed optometrist. It must identify the person who needs shielding from the sun and say, in the provider’s professional opinion, that the tint is necessary for that person’s health.
The statement is the proof. The Department of Public Safety stopped issuing window tint exemption certificates on January 1, 2019, so there is no state card to apply for. Keep the signed statement in the vehicle and show it to an officer if you are stopped.
A medical statement lets you use darker film on the side and rear windows, including the front side windows. It does not allow darker windshield tint beyond the normal strip. Below the AS-1 line or 5 inches from the top, whichever is less, only clear film that cuts light by no more than 5% is allowed. A medical statement also does not guarantee you will avoid a citation, because law enforcement and the courts decide whether a violation happened.
Other vehicles are exempt from the tint limits, including law enforcement vehicles used for police work and vehicles that regularly carry passengers for a fee, such as taxis, limousines and buses. Commercial motor vehicles covered by Transportation Code § 644.001 are also exempt.
Texas tint law penalties and fines
A tint violation is a misdemeanor with a fine from $1 to $200. The offense is defined in Transportation Code § 547.613(a), and the fine range comes from the general penalty in Transportation Code § 542.401. You can also owe court costs, which vary by county.
| Who | Violation | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Driver | Front side windows or windshield tinted beyond the limits | Misdemeanor, fine of $1 to $200 |
| Tint installer | Installing film without the required compliance label | Misdemeanor, fine up to $1,000 |
There is also a way out. Under Transportation Code § 547.004(c), a court may dismiss an equipment charge if you fix the problem before your first court appearance and pay a reimbursement fee of up to $10. This does not apply to commercial motor vehicles, and dismissal is up to the court.
Installers have their own rule. Anyone in the business of applying tint must attach a compliance label, and the Department of Public Safety says the label goes on the rearmost bottom corner of the driver’s side window. The wording should read “Complies with TRC Chapter 547” or “Complies with TTC 547.613 (b).” A missing label is a quick way to learn that a shop cut corners.
Is window tint still checked at inspection?
Not for most drivers. House Bill 3297 ended the annual safety inspection for non-commercial vehicles starting January 1, 2025, so most Texans no longer have a yearly check that could catch dark front tint.
The tint law itself did not change. Officers can still stop you and cite you at any time, and an emissions county still requires an emissions test. Dark front windows now tend to cause trouble at a traffic stop instead of at a station.
Real situations: what happens with tint in Texas
You buy a used car with dark front windows
The law looks at the car you are driving, not who installed the film. The front windows must meet the 25% minimum, so check them before you rely on the car. Removing or replacing the film is the simplest fix.
A shop offers 5% all the way around
A shop cannot lawfully install 5% film on your front side windows or windshield without a medical statement. Ask whether the film carries a compliance label and ask the installer to confirm the front windows will measure at least 25% with the glass. If a shop says no one checks in Texas, take that as a warning.
You move to Texas from another state
Your out-of-state registration does not make dark tint safe for long. Texas exempts vehicles registered in other states, but once you register your vehicle in Texas you must follow Texas limits. Drivers who relocate often forget to check the front windows.
You get pulled over for tint on I-35
Stay calm and hand over your license and insurance. If you have a medical statement, say so and show it. If an officer measures the front window with a meter and issues a citation, you can fix the film and ask the court about dismissal before your first appearance.
Myths vs. facts about tint in Texas
| Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
| “Texas allows 35% tint.” | The front side window limit is 25%. Many tint shops sell 35%, but that is a lighter film than the law requires. |
| “Any tint is fine on an SUV.” | The front side windows and windshield follow the same limits on SUVs as on cars. |
| “Medical tint comes with a state certificate.” | Texas stopped issuing exemption certificates on January 1, 2019. A signed physician or optometrist statement is the proof. |
| “No inspection means no tint rules.” | Safety inspections ended for most vehicles in 2025, but officers can still write a tint ticket. |
| “Mirrored tint is fine if it is dark enough.” | Front windows and the windshield strip cannot reflect more than 25% of light. |
Texas tint rules compared with Louisiana
Louisiana’s front side window minimum is now 25%, the same as Texas, after House Bill 119 (Act 143 of 2025) took effect August 1, 2025. Under Louisiana Revised Statutes § 32:361.1(C)(1), the side window behind the driver still needs at least 25% and the rearmost windows at least 12%.
That means a 5% rear tint that is fine in Texas can draw a ticket in Louisiana. If you drive often to Shreveport, Lake Charles or New Orleans, plan your rear film around the stricter state.
How do you check your tint before a ticket?
Ask a tint shop or an inspection station to read your front windows with a light meter. The meter gives you the combined number for glass and film, which is the number the law counts. A reading under 25% on a front window is a problem.
If the number is too low, the cheapest fix is usually replacing the film on the two front windows only. Rear windows can stay as they are.
When did Texas tint law last change?
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| September 1, 1995 | Texas first set tint limits in Transportation Code § 547.613 |
| September 1, 2009 | Senate Bill 589 revised the compliance-label rules, made it a misdemeanor with a fine up to $1,000 for an installer to apply tint without the label, and amended the medical defense |
| January 1, 2019 | The Department of Public Safety stopped issuing window tint exemption certificates |
| January 1, 2025 | House Bill 3297 ended the annual safety inspection for non-commercial vehicles |
Frequently asked questions
What is the legal tint in Texas for front windows?
The front side windows must have at least 25% light transmission, and the film and glass together must reflect no more than 25% of light. This is the legal tint in Texas that most drivers need to meet. Anything darker needs a medical statement from a licensed physician or optometrist.
What tint is legal in Texas on the back windows?
The rear side windows have no darkness limit. The back window also has no limit if both outside mirrors show at least 200 feet of road behind you. Without two qualifying mirrors, the back window must meet the same 25% light transmission minimum as the front.
Is 5 percent tint legal in Texas?
Only behind the driver. A 5 percent film is allowed on the rear side windows, and on the back window if you have two outside mirrors that show 200 feet behind you. It is not allowed on the front side windows or below the windshield strip unless you have a medical statement.
Is 20 tint legal in Texas?
No for the front side windows, because 20 percent is below the 25 percent minimum. It is legal on the rear side windows and, with two qualifying mirrors, on the back window. If the front windows already have factory tint, the film you add still has to keep the total at 25 percent or more.
How much is a tint ticket in Texas?
A tint violation is a misdemeanor with a fine from $1 to $200 under Transportation Code §§ 547.004 and 542.401. Court costs are extra and vary by county. A court may dismiss an equipment charge if you fix the film before your first court appearance and pay a reimbursement fee of up to $10, though that is up to the court.
Do I need paperwork for medical tint in Texas?
Yes. You need a signed statement from a licensed physician or optometrist that names the person who needs shielding and says the tint is necessary for their health. Texas stopped issuing exemption certificates in 2019, so keep the statement in the vehicle and show it if an officer stops you.
Can a shop install illegal tint in Texas?
A shop must attach a compliance label. A shop that applies tint without the required label commits a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $1,000. Installing film that breaks the window limits is a separate misdemeanor under Transportation Code § 547.613(a).
What changed on this page
October 24, 2026: Published and verified against current Texas law. Covers the 25% front window rule, the windshield strip, the medical statement process, penalties, and the end of most safety inspections in 2025.
If this affects you: if you received a tint citation, read the court notice for your first appearance date, because fixing the film before that date may allow dismissal. If you need darker tint for a medical reason, ask your physician or optometrist for a signed statement. For other everyday driving rules, see our Texas driving and vehicle law guides. This guide is general legal information, not advice for your situation. Read how we research every guide in our editorial policy, or report an error.
