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Tools · Window Tint

Montana Window Tint Checker (2026)

The legal tint limit for every window position in Montana (24% on the front sides), checked against your own film's VLT, with the medical exemption and what a ticket costs.

Reviewed by PlainStatute EditorialLast reviewed July 2026Verified against §61-9-405; waiver §61-9-428;…

Montana window tint checker

Window tint · Montana

VLT (visible light transmission) is the share of light the film lets through; a lower number is darker. It is printed on the film packaging or your installation receipt. Leave it blank to just read the limits.

Montana legal tint limit, window by window
Front side windows
24% VLT min
At least 24% light transmission; luminous reflectance no more than 35%.
Back side windows
14% min
At least 14% light transmission; luminous reflectance no more than 35%.
Rear window
14% min
At least 14% light transmission on a passenger car; a multipurpose vehicle, van, or bus is exempt from the 14% floor behind the front seat.
Windshield
Clear below AS-1; strip above
Below the AS-1 line the material must be clear and transparent. Above the AS-1 line a sunscreening strip is allowed if it is not red, yellow, or amber..
Medical exemption
The highway patrol or a local law enforcement agency may grant a written waiver for reasons of safety, security, or medical need, based on an affidavit signed by a licensed physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse. The waiver names the vehicle, owner, reason, and effective dates and is kept by the issuing agency until it expires.
Penalty
Operating or installing tint that violates §61-9-405(4) is a misdemeanor, punishable as provided in §46-18-212. Both the owner or operator and the person who applied the material can be charged.
Tint-meter tolerance
Not specified in statute

Enter your film's VLT above to check it against each Montana window limit, or read the limits as they stand.

The 14% floor for side windows behind the front seat and the rear window does not apply to a multipurpose vehicle, van, or bus (§61-9-405(4)(c)).

Film is sold by its own VLT, but police measure the installed darkness: the film combined with your factory glass, which reads darker than the film alone. These are the Montana figures stated as information, not a determination about any stop or ticket.

Informational only, not legal advice. Reflectivity limits, color bans, and vehicle-class exceptions can change the answer for a specific car. See the full rules, the exemption steps, and the citations on the Montana window tint reference, cited to Mont. Code Ann. §61-9-405; waiver §61-9-428; penalty §61-9-429.

How the Montana tint rules work

Montana sets a firmer floor than most neighbors: at least 24% on the front doors and at least 14% on the side windows behind the driver and the rear window. The one release valve is vehicle class, a multipurpose vehicle, van, or bus is exempt from the 14% floor behind the front seat. The waiver drivers care about lives in a separate section (§61-9-428): a physician, physician assistant, or nurse affidavit can earn a written waiver from the highway patrol or local police for safety, security, or medical reasons.

This checker applies the Montana figures to the VLT you enter. It is informational only and not legal advice: reflectivity limits, color bans, and vehicle-class exceptions can change the answer for a specific car. For the full rules, the shades table, and the citations, see the Montana window tint reference, cited to Mont. Code Ann. §61-9-405; waiver §61-9-428; penalty §61-9-429.

Window tint checkers for other states

Same tool, each with its own per-window limits.