The most-Googled tint question by car owners isn't "what film should I get" — it's "what's legal in my state?" Here's the scannable answer.
Front side window VLT % by state
Lower VLT % = darker tint. A state listed at 35% means tint cannot let less than 35% of visible light through.
Strictest (front side ≥ 50% VLT, or no aftermarket allowed)
- New Jersey, Vermont: NO aftermarket tint on front sides
- California, New York, Pennsylvania: 70%
- Hawaii, New Hampshire, Iowa, Michigan: 70%
Mid-range (35-49%)
- Connecticut, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia: 35%
- Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Wisconsin: 35-50%
- Maine: 35%
- Ohio: 50%
More permissive (25-34%)
- Florida: 28%
- Georgia: 32% flat today — a bill (HB 1161) would split it to 28% front/15% rear, but that change is delayed to July 1, 2027
- Arizona: 33%
- Oregon, Idaho: 35%
- Indiana: 30%
Most permissive (under 25%)
- Texas: 25%
- Oklahoma: 25%
- Mississippi: 28%
- New Mexico: 20%
Important caveats
- Multi-purpose vehicles (SUVs, trucks, vans) often get more permissive limits on rear side windows + back glass
- Medical exemptions exist in nearly every state — your state DOT can issue a waiver
- Windshield: most states allow tint above the AS-1 line (a manufacturer-drawn line ~5-6 inches below the top of the windshield)
- Enforcement varies dramatically by county
Full per-state references with VLT specs + enforcement notes
Each state has its own detail page with current limits, windshield rules, hub cities, and market context:
- Texas
- Florida
- California
- New York
- Arizona
- Georgia
- North Carolina
- Pennsylvania
- Illinois
- Ohio
- Browse all 50 states
Recent law changes
One state's tint rules changed recently, one is set to but hasn't yet: North Carolina removed tint from its annual vehicle inspection and added a roll-down-for-officers rule effective December 1, 2025 — its 35% VLT limit itself didn't move. Georgia's tint law is set to change, but not yet — a bill (HB 1161) would split the flat 32% VLT limit into 28% for front windows and back glass and a much darker 15% for rear side (door) windows only, but Georgia's DPS and multiple news outlets confirm that change is delayed to July 1, 2027, so today's law is still the flat 32%.
What we tell customers
"Look up the limit for your state on our /regions page, then add 5-10% above the minimum to give yourself a safety margin. State enforcement testers' measurements are calibrated within about ±3%, so being right at the legal limit can still get you a ticket."
A note for shops
Your shop-management software should warn you at the quote-builder stage if you're quoting below the state's legal minimum. This is a quiet operational risk that bites shops every year — a customer files a complaint after getting pulled over, and the shop is liable for installing illegal film if the records show they sold a 20% VLT film into a 35%-limit state.
SalesThumb's quote builder shows the state limit inline + flags any below-limit selection. It doesn't block you from quoting (medical exemptions exist) but it makes sure the front desk consciously chooses.