5% window tint
A window measuring 5% VLT lets 5% of visible light through and blocks 95%. None of the 51 places we cover allow a car's front side windows to measure 5%; 16 allow it on a sedan's rear side windows.
How it looks: Very dark. Hard to see into the car even up close; often called limo tint.
Where 5% is legal on front side windows
Allowed (0 of 51)
None of the places we cover.
Too dark (51; the state’s minimum in brackets)
Alabama (32%), Alaska (70%), Arizona (33%), Arkansas (25%), 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%), Louisiana (25%), Maine (35%), Maryland (35%), Massachusetts (35%), Michigan (no front film), Minnesota (50%), Mississippi (28%), Missouri (35%), Montana (24%), Nebraska (35%), Nevada (35%), New Hampshire (70%), New Jersey (no front film), New Mexico (20%), New York (70%), North Carolina (35%), North Dakota (35%), Ohio (50%), Oklahoma (25%), Oregon (50%), Pennsylvania (70%), Rhode Island (70%), South Carolina (27%), South Dakota (35%), Tennessee (35%), Texas (25%), Utah (35%), Vermont (no front film), Virginia (50%), Washington (24%), West Virginia (35%), Wisconsin (50%), Wyoming (28%)
Where 5% is legal on back windows
Sedan rear side windows: allowed (16 of 51)
Arizona, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Texas, Utah, Vermont
Sedan rear side windows: too dark (35)
Alabama (32%), Alaska (40%), Arkansas (25%), Colorado (27%), Connecticut (35%), District of Columbia (50%), Florida (15%), Georgia (15%), Idaho (20%), Illinois (35%), Kansas (35%), Kentucky (18%), Louisiana (25%), Maryland (35%), Massachusetts (35%), Minnesota (50%), Mississippi (28%), Montana (14%), Nebraska (20%), New Hampshire (35%), New Mexico (20%), New York (70%), North Carolina (35%), Oklahoma (25%), Oregon (50%), Pennsylvania (70%), Rhode Island (70%), South Carolina (27%), South Dakota (20%), Tennessee (35%), Virginia (35%), Washington (24%), West Virginia (35%), Wisconsin (35%), Wyoming (28%)
The rear windshield of a sedan may measure 5% in 16 of the 51 places, and an SUV, truck or van’s rear side windows in 17. Each state page has the full rules.
5% tint questions
What does 5% tint mean?
A window measuring 5% VLT lets 5% of visible light through and blocks 95%. How it looks: Very dark. Hard to see into the car even up close; often called limo tint.
Is 5% tint legal on front windows?
No. None of the 51 places covered here allow a car's front side windows to measure 5% VLT.
Is 5% tint legal on back windows?
On a sedan, 16 of the 51 places allow the rear side windows to measure 5%, and 16 allow it on the rear windshield. On an SUV, truck or van, 17 places allow 5% on the rear side windows.
Is 5% tint dark?
How it looks: Very dark. Hard to see into the car even up close; often called limo tint. Of the common shades, 15% is lighter. The lower the number, the darker the tint.
Will 5% film measure 5% on my car?
Usually it measures darker. Factory glass already blocks some light, so 5% film on factory glass reads below 5% 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 5% 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.