25% window tint
A window measuring 25% VLT lets 25% of visible light through and blocks 75%. A car's front side windows may measure 25% in 7 of the 51 places we cover, and a sedan's rear side windows in 28.
How it looks: Medium-dark. Noticeable privacy, still some visibility in.
Where 25% is legal on front side windows
Allowed (7 of 51)
Arkansas, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Washington
Too dark (44; the state’s minimum in brackets)
Alabama (32%), Alaska (70%), Arizona (33%), California (70%), Colorado (27%), Connecticut (35%), Delaware (50%), District of Columbia (70%), Florida (28%), Georgia (28%), Hawaii (35%), Idaho (35%), Illinois (35%), Indiana (30%), Iowa (50%), Kansas (35%), Kentucky (35%), Maine (35%), Maryland (35%), Massachusetts (35%), Michigan (no front film), Minnesota (50%), Mississippi (28%), Missouri (35%), Nebraska (35%), Nevada (35%), New Hampshire (70%), New Jersey (no front film), New York (70%), North Carolina (35%), North Dakota (35%), Ohio (50%), Oregon (50%), Pennsylvania (70%), Rhode Island (70%), South Carolina (27%), South Dakota (35%), Tennessee (35%), Utah (35%), Vermont (no front film), Virginia (50%), West Virginia (35%), Wisconsin (50%), Wyoming (28%)
Where 25% is legal on back windows
Sedan rear side windows: allowed (28 of 51)
Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington
Sedan rear side windows: too dark (23)
Alabama (32%), Alaska (40%), Colorado (27%), Connecticut (35%), District of Columbia (50%), Illinois (35%), Kansas (35%), Maryland (35%), Massachusetts (35%), Minnesota (50%), Mississippi (28%), New Hampshire (35%), New York (70%), North Carolina (35%), Oregon (50%), Pennsylvania (70%), Rhode Island (70%), South Carolina (27%), Tennessee (35%), Virginia (35%), West Virginia (35%), Wisconsin (35%), Wyoming (28%)
The rear windshield of a sedan may measure 25% in 27 of the 51 places, and an SUV, truck or van’s rear side windows in 29. Each state page has the full rules.
25% tint questions
What does 25% tint mean?
A window measuring 25% VLT lets 25% of visible light through and blocks 75%. How it looks: Medium-dark. Noticeable privacy, still some visibility in.
Is 25% tint legal on front windows?
In 7 of the 51 places covered here (Arkansas, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Washington). The other 44 require a lighter front window or don't allow front side film.
Is 25% tint legal on back windows?
On a sedan, 28 of the 51 places allow the rear side windows to measure 25%, and 27 allow it on the rear windshield. On an SUV, truck or van, 29 places allow 25% on the rear side windows.
Is 25% tint dark?
How it looks: Medium-dark. Noticeable privacy, still some visibility in. Of the common shades, 20% is darker (it lets less light through) and 30% is lighter. The lower the number, the darker the tint.
Will 25% film measure 25% on my car?
Usually it measures darker. Factory glass already blocks some light, so 25% film on factory glass reads below 25% on a tint meter. Most state limits apply to that finished reading, so a shop checks the installed window, not the number on the film box.
General information, not legal advice. “Allowed” means a window measuring 25% meets the state’s minimum; tolerances and vehicle class can change the answer. Counts come from SalesThumb’s statute-checked state pages (latest check 2026-09-28). Laws change and enforcement varies; confirm current requirements with the state before installing or buying film.