Texas Window Tinting Laws

Car window tinting laws in Texas were enacted in 2009.

We have provided all the necessary information about your car’s window tint, including how dark or reflective the tint is allowed in your state.

There are also additional car window tinting rules and regulations in Texas so make sure you read all about it below.

Window tint darkness in Texas

The percent of visible light allowed through your car windows is called VLT: Visible Light Transmission.

The percentage of light allowed through your film and glass in Texas is very specific and different for sedan cars and SUV cars or vans.

Tint darkness for sedans:

  • Windshield: 25% VLT tint is allowed above the manufacturer’s AS-1 line or top 5 inches, with less than 25% reflection.
  • Front Side windows: Must allow more than 25% of light in.
  • Back Side windows: Any darkness can be used.
  • Rear Window: Any darkness can be used with side outside mirrors, 25% VLT without.

Tint darkness for SUV and vans:

  • Windshield: 25% VLT tint is allowed above the manufacturer’s AS-1 line or top 5 inches, with less than 25% reflection.
  • Front Side windows: Must allow more than 25% of light in.
  • Back Side windows: Any darkness can be used.
  • Rear Window: Any darkness can be used with side outside mirrors, 25% VLT without.

Window tint reflection in Texas

Window tint can reflect incoming light and reduce glare and heat.

Texas window tint law permits a certain window reflection when using a tint so make sure you pay attention to this as well.

Tint reflection for sedans:

  • Front Side windows: Must not be more than 25% reflective.
  • Back Side windows: Must not be more than 25% reflective.

Tint reflection for SUV and vans:

  • Front Side windows: Must not be more than 25% reflective.
  • Back Side windows: Must not be more than 25% reflective.

Other Texas window tint rules and regulations:

Texas does have several other important laws, rules and regulations pertaining to window tinting. They include the following:

  • Side Mirrors: If rear window is tinted dual side mirrors are required.
  • Restricted Colors: Tint colors red, blue and amber are not permitted for use on windshields by Texas tint laws.
  • Certificates: Film manufacturers need to certify the film they sell in the state. Check with your dealer if they are using certified film.
  • Stickers: The sticker to identify legal tinting is required between the film & glass on the driver’s side window.
  • Medical Exceptions: Texas allows medical exemptions for special tint. For more details about the specific terms of the exemption, consult Texas tint laws.

Keep in mind that Texas tinting laws and regulations may be interpreted differently in your county or place of residence.

We always recommend double-checking our information with your local DMV or law enforcement authorities.

Our information about window tint laws in Texas was last updated in 2024.

Tinting laws in Texas were enacted in 2009.

In case any of our info provided is not up to date or correct be sure to contact us so we can fix it. Thanks!

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State of Texas Info

Texas is the second most populous and the second-largest of the 50 states in the United States of America, and the largest state in the 48 contiguous United States.

Geographically located in the South Central part of the country, Texas shares an international border with the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas to the south.

Borders the U.S. states of New Mexico to the west, Oklahoma to the north, Arkansas to the northeast and Louisiana to the east.

Texas has an area of 268,820 square miles (696,200 km2), and a growing population of 26.1 million residents.

Houston is the largest city in Texas and the fourth-largest in the United States, while San Antonio is the second largest in the state and seventh largest in the United States.

Texas has 254 counties, more than any other state.

Capital: Austin

Population: 29,527,941

Area: 268,581 sq mi (696,241 km2)

Cities in Texas: Houston, Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Waco, Corpus Christi, El Paso, Plano, Lubbock, Amarillo, West, Arlington, McAllen, Frisco, Grapevine, College Station, Marfa, McKinney, Sugar Land, Fredericksburg, Midland, Laredo, Tyler, New Braunfels, Denton, Killeen, Round Rock, Irving, Grand Prairie, Abilene, South Padre Island, Wichita Falls, Odessa, Brownsville, San Angelo, Katy, Beaumont, San Marcos, Point Blank, Carrollton, Humble, Longview, Richardson, Garland, Lewisville, Garden Ridge, Conroe, Clint, Port Aransas

Counties in Texas: Anderson, Andrews, Angelina, Aransas, Archer, Armstrong, Atascosa, Austin, Bailey, Bandera, Bastrop, Baylor, Bee, Bell, Bexar, Blanco, Borden, Bosque, Bowie, Brazoria, Brazos, Brewster, Briscoe, Brooks, Brown, Buchanan, Buchel, Burleson, Burnet, Caldwell, Calhoun, Callahan, Cameron, Camp, Carson, Cass, Castro, Chambers, Cherokee, Childress, Clay, Cochran, Coke, Coleman, Collin, Collingsworth, Colorado, Comal, Comanche, Concho, Cooke, Coryell, Cottle, Crane, Crockett, Crosby, Culberson, Dallam, Dallas, Dawson, Deaf Smith, Delta, Denton, DeWitt, Dickens, Dimmit, Donley, Duval, Eastland, Ector, Edwards, El Paso, Ellis, Encinal, Erath, Falls, Fannin, Fayette, Fisher, Floyd, Foard, Foley, Fort Bend, Franklin, Freestone, Frio, Gaines, Galveston, Garza, Gillespie, Glasscock, Goliad, Gonzales, Gray, Grayson, Greer, Gregg, Grimes, Guadalupe, Hale, Hall, Hamilton, Hansford, Hardeman, Hardin, Harris, Harrison, Hartley, Haskell, Hays, Hemphill, Henderson, Hidalgo, Hill, Hockley, Hood, Hopkins, Houston, Howard, Hudspeth, Hunt, Hutchinson, Irion, Jack, Jackson, Jasper, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Johnson, Jones, Karnes, Kaufman, Kendall, Kenedy, Kent, Kerr, Kimble, King, Kinney, Kleberg, Knox, La Baca, La Salle, Lamar, Lamb, Lampasas, Lavaca, Lee, Leon, Liberty, Limestone, Lipscomb, Live Oak, Llano, Loving, Lubbock, Lynn, Madison, Marion, Martin, Mason, Matagorda, Maverick, McCulloch, McLennan, McMullen, Medina, Menard, Midland, Milam, Mills, Mitchell, Montague, Montgomery, Moore, Morris, Motley, Nacogdoches, Navarro, Newton, Nolan, Nueces, Ochiltree, Oldham, Orange, Palo Pinto, Panola, Parker, Parmer, Pecos, Polk, Potter, Presidio, Rains, Randall, Reagan, Real, Red River, Reeves, Refugio, Roberts, Robertson, Rockwall, Runnels, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, San Patricio, San Saba, Schleicher, Scurry, Shackelford, Shelby, Sherman, Smith, Somervell, Starr, Stephens, Sterling, Stonewall, Sutton, Swisher, Tarrant, Taylor, Terrell, Terry, Throckmorton, Titus, Tom Green, Travis, Trinity, Tyler, Upshur, Upton, Uvalde, Val Verde, Van Zandt, Victoria, Walker, Waller, Ward, Washington, Webb, Wegefarth, Wharton, Wheeler, Wichita, Wilbarger, Willacy, Williamson, Wilson, Winkler, Wise, Wood, Yoakum, Young, Zapata, Zavala

Wikipedia

State website

Tint law references:

Texas Department of Public Safety – Window Tinting Standards

Texas Administrative Code, Title 37 Part 1 Chapter 21: RULE §21.3 – Standards for Sunscreening and Privacy Window Devices

Medical exemption info:

Texas Department of Public Safety – Application for window tint medical exemption (PDF document)