KS · tint law reference
Kansas window tint laws
Last verified September 14, 2026 · K.S.A. 8-1749a (definitions at K.S.A. 8-1749b)
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.
| Window | Sedans | SUVs, vans & trucks |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield | A sun screening device used on the windshield must be nonreflective and must not be red, yellow or amber in color; it may be used only along the top of the windshield and may not extend downward beyond the AS1 line, which must be clearly defined and marked (K.S.A. 8-1749a(a)(1)) | Same as sedan — K.S.A. 8-1749a makes no distinction by vehicle type |
| Front side | 35% VLT or lighter | 35% VLT or lighter |
| Back side | 35% VLT or lighter | 35% VLT or lighter |
| Rear | 35% VLT or lighter | 35% 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
A sun screening device used on the windshield, the side wings or side windows at the immediate right and left of the driver, the side windows behind the driver, or the rearmost window must be "nonreflective" (K.S.A. 8-1749a(a)(1),(2)). No numeric reflectance percentage is given. Separately, head lamps may not be covered with any sun screening device, adhesive film, glaze or application that is highly reflective or otherwise nontransparent when the lamps are off (K.S.A. 8-1749a(g)).
Colors
Red, yellow or amber — windshield only (K.S.A. 8-1749a(a)(1)). No color restriction applies to the side or rear windows.
Medical exemption
Yes, and narrowly drawn — K.S.A. 8-1749a(c) exempts a clear, colorless and transparent material applied to the windshield, side wings, side windows or rear windows if all of these hold: it has a minimum visible light transmittance of 78%; the glazing with the material applied meets all of FMVSS 205 including 70% minimum light transmittance and AS-14 abrasion resistance; it is designed and manufactured to enhance the glass's ability to block UVA or UVB; the driver or occupant possesses a signed statement from a licensed physician or licensed optometrist identifying that person with reasonable specificity and stating that in the professional's opinion the material is necessary to safeguard that person's health; and the material is removed or replaced if it tears, bubbles or is otherwise worn enough to prohibit clear vision. Under (d) a driver cited for not having the statement has 60 days to produce it in court or remove the material, and on proof of either the court shall dismiss the citation.
Stickers & certification
Not required — K.S.A. 8-1749a(f) only provides that the section does not prohibit labels, stickers or other informational signs required or permitted by state law. There is no compliance-label scheme for ordinary tint.
Measurement tolerance
This state does not state a measurement tolerance in the sources we checked.
Penalties
Misdemeanor — "Any person convicted of violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor" (K.S.A. 8-1749a(h)). The statute itself states no dollar amount.
Notes
No change to any VLT figure this pass; the statute was re-read in full from the Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes. The 35% floor in K.S.A. 8-1749a(a)(3) attaches to the sun screening device wherever it is used and there is no sedan / SUV / van / multipurpose-passenger-vehicle carve-out anywhere in the section, so the suv_van figures are identical to the sedan figures by design. (a)(2) names the side wings or side windows at the immediate right and left of the driver, the side windows behind the driver, and the rearmost window together, which is why back side and rear share the same number. Windows of law enforcement motor vehicles are exempt from the 35% requirement (K.S.A. 8-1749a(b)). The superintendent of the highway patrol may adopt implementing rules (K.S.A. 8-1749a(e)). Secondary-source disagreement: windowtintlaws.us reports "any darkness" for an SUV or van's back side and rear windows, which the statute does not support; tinting-laws.com correctly reports 35% on all windows for every vehicle type. Section last amended by L. 2019, ch. 61, § 4.
Kansas tint questions
What is the darkest legal tint in Kansas?
For a sedan in Kansas, front side windows must let at least 35% of light through, back side windows at least 35%, and the rear window at least 35%. 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 Kansas?
No, not on the front side windows. Kansas requires at least 35% 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 35% floor, so 20% is too dark there too.
Can I tint the windshield in Kansas?
Kansas's rule for the windshield: A sun screening device used on the windshield must be nonreflective and must not be red, yellow or amber in color; it may be used only along the top of the windshield and may not extend downward beyond the AS1 line, which must be clearly defined and marked (K.S.A. 8-1749a(a)(1))
Does Kansas allow a medical exemption for darker tint?
What the source says: Yes, and narrowly drawn — K.S.A. 8-1749a(c) exempts a clear, colorless and transparent material applied to the windshield, side wings, side windows or rear windows if all of these hold: it has a minimum visible light transmittance of 78%; the glazing with the material applied meets all of FMVSS 205 including 70% minimum light transmittance and AS-14 abrasion resistance; it is designed and manufactured to enhance the glass's ability to block UVA or UVB; the driver or occupant possesses a signed statement from a licensed physician or licensed optometrist identifying that person with reasonable specificity and stating that in the professional's opinion the material is necessary to safeguard that person's health; and the material is removed or replaced if it tears, bubbles or is otherwise worn enough to prohibit clear vision. Under (d) a driver cited for not having the statement has 60 days to produce it in court or remove the material, and on proof of either the court shall dismiss the citation. Confirm the current process with the agency named before you have film installed.
Do I need a tint sticker or certificate in Kansas?
Not required — K.S.A. 8-1749a(f) only provides that the section does not prohibit labels, stickers or other informational signs required or permitted by state law. There is no compliance-label scheme for ordinary tint.
Where this comes from
Statute cited: K.S.A. 8-1749a (definitions at K.S.A. 8-1749b)
- ksrevisor.govhttps://www.ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch08/008_017_0049a.html
- tinting-laws.comhttps://tinting-laws.com/kansas/
- windowtintlaws.ushttps://windowtintlaws.us/kansas/
Checked against the state's own statute or DMV page on September 14, 2026. Laws change; if you find a newer rule, email admin@getpeelboard.com.
Legal disclaimer: general information, not legal advice; verify with your DMV.