Vehicle Law · Window Tint
Window Tint Laws in Arizona
The exact legal darkness allowed on every window of your vehicle in Arizona, plus reflection limits, the medical exemption, and what a ticket costs.
How dark you can legally go
Visible-light transmission (VLT) allowed for each window.
Common tint shades, and whether they're legal here
What the shop sells, mapped to the Arizona limit.
| Film shade | Front side | Back & rear |
|---|---|---|
| 70% (light) | Legal | Conditional |
| 50% | Legal | Conditional |
| 35% (factory look) | Legal | Conditional |
| 20% | Too dark | Conditional |
| 5% (limo) | Too dark | Conditional |
Behind the driver Arizona caps only reflectance (35% ±3%), not darkness (§28-959.01(A)(6)).
Film is sold by its own VLT, but police measure the installed darkness: the film combined with your factory glass. Ask the shop for the net, as-installed VLT before you buy.
The full rules, with the statute
Every limit and where it comes from in the code.
| Rule / window | Legal limit in Arizona | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield | Transparent strip on the topmost windshield with its bottom edge at least 29 inches above the undepressed driver’s seat (the statute does NOT use "AS-1"); not red or amber | §28-959.01(A)(11) |
| Front side | At least 33% (±3%) light transmission | §28-959.01(A)(1) |
| Back side | Any VLT, limited only by the 35% (±3%) reflectance cap | §28-959.01(A)(6) |
| Rear window | Any VLT, limited only by the 35% (±3%) reflectance cap | §28-959.01(A)(6) |
| SUV / van rear | No vehicle-class distinction, the rear rules apply to all motor vehicles | §28-959.01 |
| Reflection | 35% (±3%) luminous reflectance or less | §28-959.01(A)(1) |
| Banned colors | ProhibitedRed and amber, in the windshield-strip context | §28-959.01(A)(11)(b) |
| Medical exemption | AllowedAvailable (details in the medical exemption section below). | §28-959.01(G); ADOT Form 40-… |
| Meter tolerance | The statutory ±3% on both the 33% transmission and 35% reflectance figures | §28-959.01(A) |
Penalties & how it's enforced
What happens if your tint is too dark.
-: No 2025–2026 amendment to the substantive figures confirmed.
The medical exemption: how to qualify
For drivers with a documented light-sensitivity condition.
What Arizona drivers get wrong
Arizona writes its tolerance into the law itself, 33% front transmission and 35% reflectance both carry a statutory ±3%, and measures the windshield strip not by the AS-1 line but by a 29-inch height above the driver’s seat. Behind the driver, darkness is unlimited; only mirror-like reflectivity is capped.
Common questions
Is 20% tint legal in Arizona?
Behind the driver, yes, Arizona sets no darkness limit for rear side windows or the rear window, only a 35% (±3%) reflectance cap. Front side windows must allow at least 33% (±3%).
Does Arizona use the AS-1 line for windshields?
Not in the statute. A.R.S. §28-959.01(A)(11) measures the permitted top strip as at least 29 inches above the undepressed driver’s seat; "AS-1" is informal ADOT/industry shorthand.
How do I get a medical tint exemption in Arizona?
Submit ADOT Form 40-1511 with certification from an MD, DO, naturopathic physician, or ophthalmologist. The exemption never covers the windshield, and the certificate must be carried in the exempted vehicle.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.