Texas Window Tint Law [March 2023]

Texas window tint law was brought into existence in 2009. From an automobile to an SUV, the regulations determine how tinting is put on the windows of these vehicles. 

But there are certain vehicles that are spared from the window tint necessities by Texas Law. Let us tell you the vehicles that come under the spares category: 

  Vehicles under the exempted category  Vehicles under the non-exempted category
LimousinesSUV
TaxisAutomobile
BusesTruck
Law enforcement vehiclesVan
Vehicles used by people with a medical permit

We have made sure we give our best in keeping you aware of all the possible legal information about the Texas Window Tint Law in this article. The information includes how dark or reflective Texas allows its tint on windows to be.  Now, apart from the basic tinting knowledge like the tinting percentages, there are various other rules and regulations to be followed which we have also mentioned in this article.

Check out other States Window Tint Law:-

What Does VLT Mean According To Texas State Law

VLT(Visible Light Transmission) is basically the percentage of light that is allowed through your car windows by the window tint film. Each state has its own legal allowable limits to this. 

In Texas, the amount of light allowed to pass through your film and also glass varies for Passenger vehicles and Multi-purpose vehicles. To help you understand this better, further you’ll notice a broken-down version of the same explanation.

The higher the VLT the more amounts of light will be allowed to pass through your window tint film. For instance: a 50% tint will let in 50% of the light to pass through whereas a 7% tint will allow only 7% of light to pass through.

What Is The Legal Tint In Texas: Passenger Vehicles.

  • Windshield: 25% VLT tint is allowed above the manufacturer’s AS-1 line or top 5 inches, with less than 25% reflection.
  • Front-seat side windows: Up to 25% tint darkness allowed.
  • Back seat side windows: you can use any tint darkness if you have side outside mirrors- 25% tint needed without side mirrors.
  • Rear window: you can use any tint darkness if you have side outside mirrors- 25% tint needed without side mirrors. 

Texas Tint Laws: Multi-purpose Vehicles

  • Front windshield: 25% VLT tint is allowed above the manufacturer’s AS-1 line or top 5 inches, with less than 25% reflection.
  • Front-seat side windows: Up to 25% tint darkness allowed
  • Back seat side windows: any tint darkness can be used
  • Rear window: you can use any tint darkness if you have side outside mirrors-25% tint needed without side mirrors. 

Window Tint Reflection Guidelines.

  • Front side windows: must not be more than 25% reflective.
  • Backside windows: must not be more than 25% reflective.

Various Other Window Tint Rules & Regulations In Texas:

Like mentioned earlier, besides the basic rules Texas has another list of rules and regulations to be followed when it comes to window tinting. You should make sure you take a good look at these rules and then make a decision of whether or not you should tint your car windows.

Let’s get by these rules by answering most of the frequently asked questions.

  1. Do I have to have side mirrors in Texas? If your back window is tinted then you need to have dual side mirrors. 
  2. Is colored tint illegal in Texas? Except for Amber, Red, and Blue, all tint colors are allowed.
  3. What are the window tint certification rules in Texas? You should always make sure you check with your dealer if they are using a certified film or not. The dealers or film manufacturers must make sure to certify the film they sell in the state.
  4. Do I need a certification sticker from the company installing my window tint in Texas? The sticker that identifies legal tinting is needed just between the film and glass on the driver’s side window.
  5. Are there Medical Exemptions in Texas for Window Tint? For special tint, medical exemptions are allowed in Texas. 

How much does car window tinting cost?

When it comes to the cost of tinting your car windows it will not stay the same for all cars, it’s definitely going to vary. For a better understanding of the costs and a clearer idea, you can check the current rates on Amazon here.