WI · tint law reference

Wisconsin window tint laws

Last verified September 14, 2026 · Wis. Admin. Code Trans 305.32 (vent, side and rear windows) and Trans 305.34(6)(c) (windshields), implementing Wis. Stat. § 347.43 (safety glass); penalty via Wis. Stat. § 347.50(1)

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.

Wisconsin window tint limits by window and vehicle type
Window Sedans SUVs, vans & trucks
Windshield Film may be applied to the inside of the windshield only on the portion that is both outside the critical area and above the horizontal line delineated by the mark 'A' or 'AS-1'. If the manufacturer affixed no such mark to the windshield, no window tinting film may be attached to the windshield at all (Trans 305.34(6)(c)). Same as sedan; Trans 305.32 and 305.34 draw no distinction by vehicle type
Front side 50% VLT or lighter 50% 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

    Tinting film on the vent/front side windows, the rear window, and the rear side windows 'may not be reflective'. The code sets no numeric reflectance percentage (windowtintlaws.us's '20% reflectivity' figure is not in the code).

    Colors

    None specified in Trans 305.32 or 305.34; the practical limit is the ban on reflective film, which rules out mirrored and metallic finishes

    Medical exemption

    Trans 305.32(4)(b)3.: on the recommendation of a physician or Christian Science practitioner treating the owner or an immediate family member of the owner, the vent and front side windows may be tinted to at least 35% VLT (still non-reflective). A written statement from the treating physician or practitioner identifying the patient, the medical condition justifying the recommendation, whether the condition is temporary or permanent, and the vehicle (make, model, year and VIN) must be carried in the vehicle at all times. The film must be removed when the vehicle is sold, when the person for whom the recommendation was made no longer resides in the owner's household, or when a temporary condition has expired. The exemption covers only the vent/front side windows.

    Stickers & certification

    None required by Trans 305.32 or 305.34

    Measurement tolerance

    3 percentage points — 'When measuring total light transmittance under subs. (4)(b), (5)(b) and (6), law enforcement officers shall allow a tolerance of 3%.' (Trans 305.32(7))

    Penalties

    The tint rules are administrative-code requirements under the safety-glass statute, Wis. Stat. § 347.43, which Trans 305.32/305.34 are cross-referenced from; § 347.50(1) provides that a person violating ss. 347.35 to 347.49 'may be required to forfeit not less than $10 nor more than $200.' No tint-specific fine schedule appears in the code; aggregator figures ($100–$200, $175) are consistent with but not drawn from that range.

    Notes

    Tint numbers live in the administrative code, not in a tint statute — many aggregators miscite Wis. Stat. § 347.43, which is actually the general safety-glass section (its cross-reference note points to ss. Trans 305.32 and 305.34). The rules are vehicle-type-neutral: 50% VLT on vent and front side windows, 35% on the rear window and rear side windows, for sedans and SUVs/vans alike; no 'any darkness behind the driver' allowance exists in Wisconsin. Factory-tinted glazing installed as part of the original manufacturing process is permitted regardless of these percentages. The mirror rule is framed by transmittance, not by whether film was added: under Trans 305.32(5)(b)3. a vehicle whose rear window does not transmit at least 60% of visible light must have an outside rearview mirror on the left and right — which is always the case once the rear window is tinted to the 35% floor. Vent and front side windows may also carry no sign, poster, or other nontransparent material other than a government-ordered certificate or sticker.

    Wisconsin tint questions

    What is the darkest legal tint in Wisconsin?

    For a sedan in Wisconsin, front side windows must let at least 50% 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 Wisconsin?

    No, not on the front side windows. Wisconsin requires at least 50% 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 Wisconsin?

    Wisconsin's rule for the windshield: Film may be applied to the inside of the windshield only on the portion that is both outside the critical area and above the horizontal line delineated by the mark 'A' or 'AS-1'. If the manufacturer affixed no such mark to the windshield, no window tinting film may be attached to the windshield at all (Trans 305.34(6)(c)).

    Does Wisconsin allow a medical exemption for darker tint?

    What the source says: Trans 305.32(4)(b)3.: on the recommendation of a physician or Christian Science practitioner treating the owner or an immediate family member of the owner, the vent and front side windows may be tinted to at least 35% VLT (still non-reflective). A written statement from the treating physician or practitioner identifying the patient, the medical condition justifying the recommendation, whether the condition is temporary or permanent, and the vehicle (make, model, year and VIN) must be carried in the vehicle at all times. The film must be removed when the vehicle is sold, when the person for whom the recommendation was made no longer resides in the owner's household, or when a temporary condition has expired. The exemption covers only the vent/front side windows. Confirm the current process with the agency named before you have film installed.

    Do I need a tint sticker or certificate in Wisconsin?

    None required by Trans 305.32 or 305.34

    Nearby states

    Where this comes from

    Statute cited: Wis. Admin. Code Trans 305.32 (vent, side and rear windows) and Trans 305.34(6)(c) (windshields), implementing Wis. Stat. § 347.43 (safety glass); penalty via Wis. Stat. § 347.50(1)

    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.

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