CO · tint law reference

Colorado window tint laws

Last verified September 13, 2026 · Colo. Rev. Stat. § 42-4-227

Confirm this one. We could not confirm every detail on the state's own site. Confirm with your state DMV before relying on this.

Legal tint limits at a glance

VLT is the share of light the window must let through — a lower number is darker film, and the reading includes the factory glass.

Colorado window tint limits by window and vehicle type
Window Sedans SUVs, vans & trucks
Windshield Non-reflective tint permitted on top 4 inches only; 70% VLT required in that strip Same top-4-inch/70% rule as sedan
Front side 27% VLT or lighter 27% VLT or lighter
Back side 27% VLT or lighter 27% VLT or lighter
Rear 27% VLT or lighter 27% VLT or lighter

Dual side mirrors required if the rear is tinted? Not stated in the sources we checked.

Is my tint legal here?

Film darkness and glass darkness multiply. Enter the film you are considering and the VLT of the bare glass to get the number a meter would read.

70 for tinted OEM glass, 80 for clear

Net VLT 14% 20% film × 70% glass

    Pass/fail compares net VLT against the limits on this page only. Some states apply a measurement tolerance — see Measurement tolerance below — and none of this replaces a meter reading on your own glass.

    The rest of the rule

    Reflectivity

    Metallic or mirrored-appearance film is banned on any window

    Colors

    Not specified beyond the mirrored/metallic-appearance ban

    Medical exemption

    Not confirmed in the sources reviewed

    Stickers & certification

    Not confirmed in the sources reviewed

    Measurement tolerance

    This state does not state a measurement tolerance in the sources we checked.

    Penalties

    Ordinary violation is a class B traffic infraction; installing/covering a window out of compliance is a class A traffic infraction

    Notes

    Colorado applies one 27% VLT floor to all non-windshield windows on every vehicle type (no separate SUV/van carve-out found). Out-of-state vehicles are held to a 20% VLT floor on non-windshield windows while in Colorado. The official CRS Title 42 PDF from content.leg.colorado.gov is large (multi-hundred page) and could not be parsed by the fetch tool; figures are corroborated across Justia and FindLaw mirrors of the same statute and are consistent with each other, but the medical-exemption and sticker questions could not be verified from any source in this pass.

    Colorado tint questions

    What is the darkest legal tint in Colorado?

    For a sedan in Colorado, front side windows must let at least 27% of light through, back side windows at least 27%, and the rear window at least 27%. Lower VLT means darker glass, so those percentages are floors, not targets, and the meter reads the film and the factory glass together.

    Is 20% tint legal in Colorado?

    No, not on the front side windows. Colorado requires at least 27% VLT there and 20% is darker than that, before you even account for the factory glass, which makes the reading darker still. The back side windows have a 27% floor, so 20% is too dark there too.

    Can I tint the windshield in Colorado?

    Colorado's rule for the windshield: Non-reflective tint permitted on top 4 inches only; 70% VLT required in that strip

    Does Colorado allow a medical exemption for darker tint?

    What the source says: Not confirmed in the sources reviewed Confirm the current process with the agency named before you have film installed.

    Do I need a tint sticker or certificate in Colorado?

    Not confirmed in the sources reviewed

    Nearby states

    Where this comes from

    Statute cited: Colo. Rev. Stat. § 42-4-227

    Checked against the state's own statute or DMV page on September 13, 2026. Laws change; if you find a newer rule, email admin@getpeelboard.com.

    Legal disclaimer: general information, not legal advice; verify with your DMV.

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