TX · tint law reference
Texas window tint laws
Last verified September 13, 2026 · Tex. Transportation Code § 547.613; 37 Tex. Admin. Code § 21.3
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 | Sunscreening allowed only above the AS-1 line (or top 5 inches if no AS-1 line); combined with glass must be ≥25% VLT and ≤25% reflectance; not red, amber, or blue | Sunscreening allowed only above the AS-1 line (or top 5 inches if no AS-1 line); combined with glass must be ≥25% VLT and ≤25% reflectance; not red, amber, or blue |
| Front side | 25% VLT or lighter | 25% VLT or lighter |
| Back side | No limit stated | No limit stated |
| Rear | 25% VLT or lighter | 25% 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
≤25% luminous reflectance (combined with original glass) on windshield and regulated windows
Colors
Windshield sunscreening may not be red, amber, or blue
Medical exemption
As of Jan 1, 2019, Texas DPS no longer issues Window Tint Medical Exemption Certificates; instead, a signed statement from a licensed physician documenting the medical need must be presented at annual inspection and kept in the vehicle to show an officer on a stop
Stickers & certification
none found (DPS discontinued the exemption-certificate program in 2019; no dealer film sticker requirement identified on the official page)
Measurement tolerance
This state does not state a measurement tolerance in the sources we checked.
Penalties
Violation is a misdemeanor under Transportation Code 547.613; for persons in the business of installing noncompliant film, fine up to $1,000 (per Justia's mirror of the statute text; exact operator-level fine schedule not shown on the DPS page itself)
Notes
Rear side windows (behind the front doors) are 'completely exempt from regulation' per the official DPS page. The rearmost window is unrestricted in darkness ONLY if the vehicle has two outside mirrors giving 200+ ft of rearward visibility; otherwise it must meet the same 25% VLT floor as front windows. No sedan-vs-SUV/van distinction found; DPS page applies uniformly.
Texas tint questions
What is the darkest legal tint in Texas?
For a sedan in Texas, front side windows must let at least 25% of light through, no number is stated for the back side windows, and the rear window at least 25%. 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 Texas?
No, not on the front side windows. Texas requires at least 25% VLT there and 20% is darker than that, before you even account for the factory glass, which makes the reading darker still.
Can I tint the windshield in Texas?
Texas's rule for the windshield: Sunscreening allowed only above the AS-1 line (or top 5 inches if no AS-1 line); combined with glass must be ≥25% VLT and ≤25% reflectance; not red, amber, or blue
Does Texas allow a medical exemption for darker tint?
What the source says: As of Jan 1, 2019, Texas DPS no longer issues Window Tint Medical Exemption Certificates; instead, a signed statement from a licensed physician documenting the medical need must be presented at annual inspection and kept in the vehicle to show an officer on a stop Confirm the current process with the agency named before you have film installed.
Do I need a tint sticker or certificate in Texas?
none found (DPS discontinued the exemption-certificate program in 2019; no dealer film sticker requirement identified on the official page)
Where this comes from
Statute cited: Tex. Transportation Code § 547.613; 37 Tex. Admin. Code § 21.3
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.