RI · tint law reference
Rhode Island window tint laws
Last verified September 14, 2026 · R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 31-23.3-1 to 31-23.3-6 (Nontransparent Windshields and Windows)
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 | § 31-23.3-2 bars nontransparent/sunscreen material, window application, reflective film or non-reflective film used in any way to cover or treat the front windshield, unless an exemption in § 31-23.3-3 [sic — § 31-23.3-4] applies. § 31-23.3-4(4) exempts transparent material limited to the uppermost six inches along the top of the windshield, provided the strip does not encroach upon the driver's direct forward viewing area as defined in the applicable FMVSS. Per RI DMV, a medical exemption does not apply to the windshield. | Same as sedan. |
| Front side | 70% VLT or lighter | 70% VLT or lighter |
| Back side | 70% VLT or lighter | No VLT limit |
| Rear | 70% VLT or lighter | No VLT limit |
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
No numeric limit in the statute. § 31-23.3-3(a) directs the administrator of the Division of Motor Vehicles to establish rules and regulations providing standards and tests to measure the percentage of reflectance and transmittance of light; § 31-23.3-1(3) defines 'reflectance' but no cap is stated.
Colors
None specified in the statute.
Medical exemption
§ 31-23.3-4(7): the chapter does not apply to a motor vehicle registered in this state in the name of a person, or the person's legal guardian, who has an affidavit signed by a physician or an optometrist licensed to practice in this state stating that the person has a physical condition that makes it necessary to equip the vehicle with a sunscreening device which may exceed federal standards. On application including the affidavit, the Division of Motor Vehicles issues a sticker to be applied to the driver's side window to identify the exemption. Per RI DMV, the exemption does not extend to the windshield.
Stickers & certification
§ 31-23.3-3(b): any person, firm, corporation or other entity installing a sunscreen device must provide and affix a label, not exceeding 1½ square inches, to the front window, containing the installer's name and the percentage of light transmittance; facing the vehicle from the outside, the label goes in the lower left corner of the front window. Medical-exemption holders separately receive the DMV driver's-side-window sticker.
Measurement tolerance
This state does not state a measurement tolerance in the sources we checked.
Penalties
§ 31-23.3-5: any person, firm, corporation or other business entity that installs sunscreening material not in compliance with the chapter is fined not more than $250 for each offence; any person who owns a motor vehicle with noncompliant sunscreening device or material installed on it is fined not more than $250.
Notes
The 70% figure is STATUTORY, in § 31-23.3-4(3) — not, as this record previously said, delegated to DMV rules: material with a total visible light transmittance of not less than 70% measured perpendicular to the glass is exempt on the windshield, on the side windows immediately adjacent to the right and left of the operator's seat, on the side windows immediately to the rear of the operator's seat and the front passenger seat, 'or on the rear window if the vehicle is equipped with two (2) outside mirrors, one on each side.' § 31-23.3-4(6) exempts sunscreen material on windows behind the driver in trucks, buses, trailers, mobile homes, campers, multipurpose vehicles, charter buses, funeral service vehicles and limousines, provided the vehicle has two outside mirrors meeting federal standards — which is why SUVs/vans (statutory 'multipurpose passenger vehicle': designed to carry ten persons or fewer, built on a truck chassis or with special features for occasional off-road operation) may run any darkness behind the driver while sedans may not. Other exemptions: factory glazing meeting 49 CFR 571.205 (§ 31-23.3-4(1)); federal/state/local law-enforcement vehicles (§ 31-23.3-4(2)); vehicles not required to be registered here (§ 31-23.3-4(5)); executive-security vehicles with the written permission of the local police chief (§ 31-23.3-4(8)). § 31-23.3-6 grandfathers manufacturer-installed sunscreening material on vehicles purchased before December 1, 1993. Both secondary sources say the windshield strip is measured 'above the AS-1 line' — the statute uses the uppermost six inches instead; windowtintlaws.us also overstates the fine as $300.
Rhode Island tint questions
What is the darkest legal tint in Rhode Island?
For a sedan in Rhode Island, front side windows must let at least 70% of light through, back side windows at least 70%, and the rear window at least 70%. Lower VLT means darker glass, so those percentages are floors, not targets, and the meter reads the film and the factory glass together. SUVs, vans and trucks are listed separately: front side 70%, back side no VLT limit, rear no VLT limit.
Is 20% tint legal in Rhode Island?
No, not on the front side windows. Rhode Island requires at least 70% 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 70% floor, so 20% is too dark there too.
Can I tint the windshield in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island's rule for the windshield: § 31-23.3-2 bars nontransparent/sunscreen material, window application, reflective film or non-reflective film used in any way to cover or treat the front windshield, unless an exemption in § 31-23.3-3 [sic — § 31-23.3-4] applies. § 31-23.3-4(4) exempts transparent material limited to the uppermost six inches along the top of the windshield, provided the strip does not encroach upon the driver's direct forward viewing area as defined in the applicable FMVSS. Per RI DMV, a medical exemption does not apply to the windshield.
Does Rhode Island allow a medical exemption for darker tint?
What the source says: § 31-23.3-4(7): the chapter does not apply to a motor vehicle registered in this state in the name of a person, or the person's legal guardian, who has an affidavit signed by a physician or an optometrist licensed to practice in this state stating that the person has a physical condition that makes it necessary to equip the vehicle with a sunscreening device which may exceed federal standards. On application including the affidavit, the Division of Motor Vehicles issues a sticker to be applied to the driver's side window to identify the exemption. Per RI DMV, the exemption does not extend to the windshield. Confirm the current process with the agency named before you have film installed.
Do I need a tint sticker or certificate in Rhode Island?
§ 31-23.3-3(b): any person, firm, corporation or other entity installing a sunscreen device must provide and affix a label, not exceeding 1½ square inches, to the front window, containing the installer's name and the percentage of light transmittance; facing the vehicle from the outside, the label goes in the lower left corner of the front window. Medical-exemption holders separately receive the DMV driver's-side-window sticker.
Nearby states
Where this comes from
Statute cited: R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 31-23.3-1 to 31-23.3-6 (Nontransparent Windshields and Windows)
- webserver.rilegislature.govhttps://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE31/31-23.3/31-23.3-4.htm
- webserver.rilegislature.govhttps://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE31/31-23.3/31-23.3-2.htm
- webserver.rilegislature.govhttps://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE31/31-23.3/31-23.3-3.htm
- webserver.rilegislature.govhttps://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE31/31-23.3/31-23.3-5.htm
- webserver.rilegislature.govhttps://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE31/31-23.3/31-23.3-1.htm
- webserver.rilegislature.govhttps://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE31/31-23.3/31-23.3-6.htm
- dmv.ri.govhttps://dmv.ri.gov/node/1636
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.