MA · tint law reference
Massachusetts window tint laws
Last verified September 14, 2026 · M.G.L. c.90 §9D
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 | No aftermarket film on the windshield except transparent material limited to the uppermost 6 inches along the top, provided the strip does not encroach on the driver's direct forward viewing area as defined in the applicable FMVSS | Same as sedan — the statute 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? Yes — this state requires dual outside mirrors when the rear window is tinted.
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
Total visible light reflectance must not exceed 35%. The same 35%-reflectance / 35%-transmittance allowance in §9D exception (4) governs the front side windows, the side windows immediately to the rear, and the rear window alike.
Colors
None. §9D names no prohibited tint color. (windowtintlaws.us claims red/amber/yellow are banned in Massachusetts; that claim appears nowhere in the statute and is contradicted by the IWFA chart, tinting-laws.com, and cartintlaw.com.)
Medical exemption
Yes (§9D exception (8)): special window treatment determined necessary by a licensed physician for the owner or operator of a private passenger motor vehicle who is determined to be light or photosensitive. Application must be in writing to the Medical Advisory Board established under c.90 §8C and supported by the written attestation of a physician licensed in the Commonwealth. On approval the Registrar issues a sufficiently noticeable sticker to be affixed to the side window immediately adjacent to the operator, and keeps a record of all such stickers.
Stickers & certification
No general compliance sticker for standard 35% tint; a sticker is issued only for an approved medical exemption. The Registrar sets the measurement standards by rule under §31 and provides for testing any glazing alleged to violate the section; a statement from the Registrar attesting compliance is prima facie evidence of compliance in any prosecution.
Measurement tolerance
This state does not state a measurement tolerance in the sources we checked.
Penalties
Fine of not more than $250 per violation. Upon a third or subsequent conviction the Registrar shall suspend the operator's license for a period not to exceed 90 days. The section also bars manufacturing, selling, offering for sale or trade, equipping, or operating a vehicle in violation, though it does not prohibit the manufacture or sale of reflective or nonreflective film in the Commonwealth.
Notes
ONE uniform 35% VLT / 35% max-reflectance standard covers the front side windows, the rear side windows, and the rear window; there is no lighter (e.g. 70%) front-side rule, and no SUV/van or 'any darkness behind the driver' allowance anywhere in §9D. All four secondary sources checked agree on 35% front side. The dual-mirror condition is unusually broad here: §9D exception (4) grants the 35% allowance only 'if the vehicle is equipped with two outside mirrors, one on each side, adjusted so that the driver has a clear view of the highway behind the vehicle' — that condition is attached to the front side windows too, not just the rear. Other exceptions: factory glazing meeting 49 CFR 571.205; draperies/louvers/special treatments on the rear window or a side window to the rear of the driver with dual mirrors; law enforcement, licensed watch guard/patrol, and college/university/hospital police agencies running K-9 teams (dual mirrors required); vehicles registered in another state, territory, country or province; and private passenger vehicles registered for public livery and hired for that purpose, which may fully obscure the side windows to the rear of the driver and the rear window (taxicabs excluded).
Massachusetts tint questions
What is the darkest legal tint in Massachusetts?
For a sedan in Massachusetts, 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 Massachusetts?
No, not on the front side windows. Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts?
Massachusetts's rule for the windshield: No aftermarket film on the windshield except transparent material limited to the uppermost 6 inches along the top, provided the strip does not encroach on the driver's direct forward viewing area as defined in the applicable FMVSS
Does Massachusetts allow a medical exemption for darker tint?
What the source says: Yes (§9D exception (8)): special window treatment determined necessary by a licensed physician for the owner or operator of a private passenger motor vehicle who is determined to be light or photosensitive. Application must be in writing to the Medical Advisory Board established under c.90 §8C and supported by the written attestation of a physician licensed in the Commonwealth. On approval the Registrar issues a sufficiently noticeable sticker to be affixed to the side window immediately adjacent to the operator, and keeps a record of all such stickers. Confirm the current process with the agency named before you have film installed.
Do I need a tint sticker or certificate in Massachusetts?
No general compliance sticker for standard 35% tint; a sticker is issued only for an approved medical exemption. The Registrar sets the measurement standards by rule under §31 and provides for testing any glazing alleged to violate the section; a statement from the Registrar attesting compliance is prima facie evidence of compliance in any prosecution.
Where this comes from
Statute cited: M.G.L. c.90 §9D
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.