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Vermont bars material painted or adhered on any transparent part of the windshield, vent windows, or front side windows, apart from small listed spaces, so no film of any darkness is legal there without a Commissioner of Motor Vehicles medical exemption (front side windows only). No percentage is set for the rear side and back windows, which may be obstructed only with a securely attached mirror on each side (23 V.S.A. § 1125).
Source: 23 V.S.A. § 1125. Summary last checked against these sources on September 28, 2026.
| Window | Rule |
|---|---|
| Windshield | No material or items may be painted or adhered on or over any transparent part of the windshield. Items hung in back of it are barred only when they materially obstruct the driver's view (a). Subsection (b) permits material or items only in these listed cases: a space up to 4 inches high and 12 inches long in the lower right-hand corner (b)(1); a space the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles specifies for any sticker required by governmental regulation (b)(2); a space up to 2 inches high and 2.5 inches long in the upper left-hand corner (b)(3); necessary equipment placed in back of the windshield by a government employee or a volunteer emergency responder operating an authorized emergency vehicle, if it does not interfere with the operator's control of the vehicle (b)(4); on a vehicle for sale by a licensed automobile dealer, a space up to 3 inches high and 6 inches long in the upper left-hand corner and a space up to 4 inches high and 18 inches long in the upper right-hand corner (b)(5); and a rearview mirror, or a toll transponder located between the roof line and the rearview mirror post or behind the mirror (b)(6). The statute names no top tint strip, and the medical exemption does not reach the windshield (c). |
| Front side windows | No material may be painted or adhered on or over any transparent part of the vent windows or the side windows immediately to the left and right of the operator, except in the cases listed in subsection (b) (a). The section states no light-transmittance percentage for these windows, so tint film is barred whatever its darkness. The only tint exception is a medical exemption granted by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, and that exemption is limited to these windows (c). |
| Rear side windows | May be obstructed only if the vehicle is equipped on each side with a securely attached mirror that gives the operator a clear view of the roadway to the rear and on both sides (d). The section sets no light-transmittance percentage for these windows and draws no distinction between cars, SUVs, and trucks. |
| Rear window | The back window follows the same rule as the rear side windows. It may be obstructed only if the vehicle has a securely attached mirror on each side giving the operator a clear view of the roadway to the rear and on both sides (d). No light-transmittance percentage is stated. |
| Reflectance / color | Not addressed. Section 1125 contains no reflectance, mirror-finish, or color limit. Film is barred on the windshield and front side windows under (a), apart from the spaces listed in (b) and a medical exemption under (c) for the front side windows. The rear side and back windows are governed only by the mirror condition in (d). |
| Medical-exemption film: transfer and upkeep | A medical exemption ends when the approved vehicle is transferred, and the seller must then remove the window tinting it allowed (c). Exempt film that tears, bubbles, or is worn so that it prevents clear vision must be removed or replaced (c). Section 1125 places no duties on installers. |
VLT (visible light transmission) is the percentage of visible light that passes through a window or film; a higher number means lighter tint. Most state limits are measured on the finished window (glass and film together). Where a rule is stated for the film itself, the table says so. Some states also limit reflectance, the share of light bounced back off the surface (a mirror-like look).
Section 1125 applies to any person operating a motor vehicle in Vermont, and its window rules draw no distinction between sedans, SUVs, pickups, or other body styles. It covers material or items painted or adhered on or over, or hung in back of, any transparent part of the windshield, vent windows, and front side windows. The ban on hanging items applies only when an item materially obstructs the driver's view (a). The text regulates added material and does not mention factory-tinted glass. Subsection (b) permits material or items in listed windshield corner spaces, in a space the Commissioner specifies for government-required stickers, and in set spaces on a licensed dealer's vehicle for sale. It also permits necessary equipment placed by government or volunteer emergency-responder operators, a rearview mirror, and a toll transponder in set locations. The rear side and back windows are governed by the mirror condition in (d).
The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles may grant an exemption on application from a person who must be shielded from the sun's rays for medical reasons. The application must include a document signed by a licensed physician or optometrist certifying that shielding is a medical necessity (c). The certification must be renewed every four years. If a physician or optometrist has already certified to the Commissioner that the condition is permanent and stable, the applicant may renew without a new signed form. The exemption covers only the vent windows and the side windows immediately left and right of the operator, not the windshield. It ends when the vehicle is transferred, and the seller must then remove the tinting. Exempt film that tears, bubbles, or wears so it prevents clear vision must be removed or replaced (c). The section states no light-transmittance percentage for exempt film.
This page does not cover penalties for a violation. Confirm with the state.
None. 23 V.S.A. § 1125(a) bars material painted or adhered on or over any transparent part of the vent windows or the side windows immediately to the left and right of the driver, apart from the items listed in subsection (b). The section states no light-transmittance percentage. The only way to have tint film there legally is a medical exemption from the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles under subsection (c).
Section 1125 sets no percentage for the rear side windows or the back window. Under subsection (d) they may be obstructed only if the vehicle has a securely attached mirror on each side that gives the driver a clear view of the roadway to the rear and on both sides. The rule is the same for cars, SUVs, and trucks.
Subsection (a) bars material on any transparent part of the windshield, and the statute names no top tint strip. Subsection (b) allows material or items only in listed cases: a space up to 4 by 12 inches in the lower right-hand corner, a space up to 2 by 2.5 inches in the upper left-hand corner, and a space the Commissioner specifies for government-required stickers. On a licensed dealer's vehicle for sale, it adds spaces up to 3 by 6 inches in the upper left and 4 by 18 inches in the upper right. It also allows necessary equipment placed by a government employee or a volunteer emergency responder operating an authorized emergency vehicle, and a rearview mirror or a toll transponder mounted between the roof line and the mirror post or behind the mirror.
Apply to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles with a document signed by a licensed physician or optometrist certifying that shielding from the sun's rays is a medical necessity (§ 1125(c)). The certification must be renewed every four years unless a physician or optometrist has already certified to the Commissioner that the condition is permanent and stable. The exemption covers only the vent windows and front side windows, not the windshield.
The exemption ends when the approved vehicle is transferred, and the seller must remove the tinting at that time (§ 1125(c)). Exempt film that tears, bubbles, or wears so that it prevents clear vision must also be removed or replaced.
Section 1125 does not mention reflectance, mirror finishes, or color. Film is barred on the windshield and front side windows under subsection (a), apart from the spaces listed in (b) and a medical exemption under (c) for the front side windows. The rear side and back windows are governed only by the two-mirror condition in subsection (d).
Running a tint shop in Vermont? See shop software for Vermont.
This page summarizes Vermont statute and regulation text for general information and is not legal advice. It covers passenger vehicles with aftermarket film (film added after the vehicle left the factory) and includes SUV, van and truck rules where the state sets different ones. Some vehicle types, such as limousines, buses, commercial and law-enforcement vehicles, and factory glass are treated differently in some states, and whether a vehicle registered in another state is covered depends on the state; see “Who this covers” above. Federal glazing rules (FMVSS 205, 49 CFR 571.205) apply separately from state law, and 49 U.S.C. 30122 bars manufacturers, distributors, dealers, rental companies and motor vehicle repair businesses from knowingly making inoperative any part of a device or element of design installed to comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard, so installers should check both. Laws change and enforcement varies; confirm current requirements with the state before tinting. Before tinting, ask the installer to measure your glass and confirm the finished window will meet the limit; afterward, ask for a reading on a light-transmission meter and keep it.