Vehicle Law · Window Tint

Window Tint Laws in Colorado

The exact legal darkness allowed on every window of your vehicle in Colorado, plus reflection limits, the medical exemption, and what a ticket costs.

Official statuteRead word-for-word

against C.R.S. §42‑4‑227 · leg.colorado.gov

Read from the official source · Jul 8, 2026How we verify →

Have a shade in mind? Check your film's VLT in the Colorado window tint checker →

Legal tint at a glance · Colorado

27%

minimum visible light (VLT) on front side windows. Anything darker on the front is illegal.

Front side windows27% VLT min

Back & rear windows27% min / 27% min (front ≥70%)

WindshieldTop 4 in strip (rest ≥70%)

Max reflectionMetallic/mirrored banned

Banned colorsRed · amber (windshield strip)

Medical exemptionNone

Penalty$15 + $4 (§42-4-1701)

StatuteC.R.S. §42‑4‑227

How dark you can legally go

Visible-light transmission (VLT) allowed for each window.

WindshieldTop strip only

Windshield ≥70% (nontransparent strip ≤4 inches)

Front side windowsMinimum 27% VLT

27%

Back side windowsMinimum 27% VLT

27%

Rear windowBelow 27% only conditionally*

27%

* Only if front side windows and windshield allow ≥70%

0% (fully blacked out)100% (clear glass)

Common tint shades, and whether they're legal here

What the shop sells, mapped to the Colorado limit.

Film shade	Front side	Back side	Rear window
70% (light)	Legal	Legal	Legal
50%	Legal	Legal	Legal
35% (factory look)	Legal	Legal	Legal
20%	Too dark	Too dark	Conditional
5% (limo)	Too dark	Too dark	Conditional

The rear window may be darker than 27% only when the front side windows and windshield allow at least 70% (§42-4-227(1)(a)(II)).

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 Colorado	Statute
Windshield	Windshield must allow at least 70%; nontransparent material only in a top strip of no more than 4 inches, not red or amber, non-glare	C.R.S. §42‑4‑227(1)(a)(I)
Front side	At least 27% light transmittance	C.R.S. §42‑4‑227(1)(a)(I)
Back side	At least 27% by default (see the rear exception)	C.R.S. §42‑4‑227(1)(a)(I)
Rear window	Below 27% allowed only if the front side windows and the windshield allow at least 70%; otherwise 27% applies	C.R.S. §42‑4‑227(1)(a)(II)
SUV / van rear	No vehicle-class rule, the rear exception applies to all vehicles equally	C.R.S. §42‑4‑227
Reflection	Metallic or mirrored appearance banned on every window (flat ban, no percentage)	C.R.S. §42‑4‑227(1)(d)
Banned colors	ProhibitedRed and amber, on the windshield top strip	C.R.S. §42‑4‑227(1)(b)(II)
Medical exemption	NoneNo medical exemption exists in this state.	C.R.S. §42‑4‑227
Meter tolerance	Not specified in statute	C.R.S. §42‑4‑227

Penalties & how it's enforced

What happens if your tint is too dark.

Offense & fine

Operator: class B traffic infraction. Installer (installs/covers/treats a non-compliant window): class A traffic infraction. With no amount in the section, the statutory default is a $15 fine + $4 surcharge (C.R.S. §42-4-1701(4)(a)(I)).

Also note

The widely repeated "$50 + $16" figure is not in §42-4-227.

State inspection

Colorado has no statewide safety inspection, tint cannot fail an inspection (emissions checks do not examine film).

Meter tolerance

Not specified in statute

Recent changes

SB 21-271 (effective 2022-03-01): No 2025–2026 change. Most recent substantive change: SB 21-271 reclassified the installer violation to a class A infraction.

Medical exemption: none in this state

What the statute actually provides.

Available?

None

What the statute says

Colorado offers no medical exemption for window tint. The statute contains no waiver, physician-certification path, or alternative VLT standard, and the CO DMV provides none.

Citation

C.R.S. §42‑4‑227 · official source →

What Colorado drivers get wrong

Colorado’s 27% rule comes with a trap and a surprise. The trap: rear windows may only go darker than 27% when the front doors and windshield are essentially untinted (≥70%). The surprise: unlike almost every neighbor, Colorado offers no medical exemption at all; no doctor’s letter changes the limits.

Common questions

Can I get a medical exemption for tint in Colorado?

No. Colorado is one of the few states with no medical tint exemption of any kind: C.R.S. §42-4-227 contains no waiver or physician-certification path, and the DMV offers none.

Is limo tint legal on rear windows in Colorado?

Only in one configuration: the rear window and rear side windows may be darker than 27% solely when the front side windows and windshield allow at least 70% of light (§42-4-227(1)(a)(II)). With tinted front doors, everything must meet 27%.

What is the fine for illegal tint in Colorado?

Driving with illegal tint is a class B traffic infraction; installing it is class A. Because §42-4-227 sets no amount, the statutory default penalty applies: a $15 fine plus a $4 surcharge (§42-4-1701(4)(a)(I)).

Primary source

→ C.R.S. §42-4-227

Official text · leg.colorado.gov

Cholilurrohman
Every figure on this page is checked line-by-line against the current statute. Editorial standards →

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.

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