WI · tint law reference

Wisconsin window tint laws

Last verified September 13, 2026 · Wis. Admin. Code Trans 305.32 (side/rear windows) and Trans 305.34(6)(c) (windshield), adopted under Wis. Stat. ch. 347

Confirm this one. We could not confirm every detail on the state's own site. Confirm with your state DMV before relying on this.

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 Tint film may be applied only outside the critical viewing area and above the horizontal 'A' mark (functionally the AS-1-equivalent line) Same as sedan; no vehicle-type distinction found in the admin code text reviewed
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

    Film 'may not be reflective' on front side or rear/rear-side windows (no numeric reflectance percentage given in the code text reviewed)

    Colors

    none specified in the admin code text reviewed

    Medical exemption

    Written documentation from a physician or Christian Science practitioner (identifying patient, condition, and vehicle VIN) allows front side windows down to 35% VLT; must be carried in the vehicle at all times and removed upon sale/relocation/condition ending

    Stickers & certification

    none found in the admin code text reviewed

    Measurement tolerance

    3% (law-enforcement measurement tolerance, per Trans 305.32)

    Penalties

    Not confirmed via the primary text reviewed (third-party aggregators cite $100–$200 for a first offense, unverified against a primary citation)

    Notes

    Many tint-law aggregators cite Wis. Stat. § 347.43 as the tint statute, but that section is actually about safety (laminated) glass generally — the actual VLT/tint rules live in the Wis. Admin. Code Trans 305 series (305.32 for side/rear windows, 305.34 for windshields). Rear-window mirror requirement is framed as: dual outside mirrors required whenever the rear window transmits less than 60% light, which is always true once tinted to the legal 35% floor.

    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: Tint film may be applied only outside the critical viewing area and above the horizontal 'A' mark (functionally the AS-1-equivalent line)

    Does Wisconsin allow a medical exemption for darker tint?

    What the source says: Written documentation from a physician or Christian Science practitioner (identifying patient, condition, and vehicle VIN) allows front side windows down to 35% VLT; must be carried in the vehicle at all times and removed upon sale/relocation/condition ending Confirm the current process with the agency named before you have film installed.

    Do I need a tint sticker or certificate in Wisconsin?

    none found in the admin code text reviewed

    Nearby states

    Where this comes from

    Statute cited: Wis. Admin. Code Trans 305.32 (side/rear windows) and Trans 305.34(6)(c) (windshield), adopted under Wis. Stat. ch. 347

    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.

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