Vehicle Law · Window Tint

Window Tint Laws in Connecticut

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

Official statuteRead word-for-word

against Conn. Gen. Stat. §14‑99g · cga.ct.gov

Read from the official source · Jul 17, 2026How we verify →

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

Legal tint at a glance · Connecticut

35%

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

Front side windows35% VLT min

Back & rear windows35% min / Any darkness

WindshieldTransparent top strip (≥29 in from seat)

Max reflectionNo mirror (≤27% / ≤21%)

Banned colorsRed · amber (windshield strip)

Medical exemptionAllowed

PenaltyInfraction

StatuteConn. Gen. Stat. §14‑99g

How dark you can legally go

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

WindshieldTop strip only

Transparent top strip only (no color/VLT change below it)

Front side windowsMinimum 35% VLT

35%

Back side windowsMinimum 35% VLT

35%

Rear windowNo limit*

* Any darkness on a passenger vehicle. Dual outside mirrors required when the rear window is tinted

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

Common tint shades, and whether they're legal here

What the shop sells, mapped to the Connecticut limit.

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

The rear window may be any darkness, but a rear-tinted vehicle must carry dual outside rear-view mirrors. Front and back side windows share the 35% (±3%) floor.

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 Connecticut	Statute
Windshield	No change to color or light transmittance of the windshield, except a transparent material along the top whose bottom edge is at least 29 inches above the driver seat; that strip must not be red or amber	Conn. Gen. Stat. §14‑99g(c)
Front side	At least 35% light transmission (±3%); not mirror-like; luminous reflectance no more than 27% (±3%)	Conn. Gen. Stat. §14‑99g(b)
Back side	At least 35% light transmission (±3%) on a passenger vehicle; not mirror-like; luminous reflectance no more than 21% (±3%)	Conn. Gen. Stat. §14‑99g(b)
Rear window	Any darkness allowed; dual outside rear-view mirrors required when the rear window is tinted	Conn. Gen. Stat. §14‑99g
SUV / van rear	On a vehicle other than a passenger motor vehicle, the windows to the rear of the operator may be any darkness; only the front side windows keep the 35% (±3%) floor	Conn. Gen. Stat. §14‑99g(b)
Reflection	No mirror-like appearance on any window; luminous reflectance capped at 27% (±3%) on front side windows and 21% (±3%) on windows to the rear of the operator	Conn. Gen. Stat. §14‑99g(b)
Banned colors	Red and amber, on the transparent windshield top strip	Conn. Gen. Stat. §14‑99g(c)
Medical exemption	AllowedAvailable (details in the medical exemption section below).	Conn. Gen. Stat. §14‑99g(g)
Meter tolerance	±3% built into the light-transmission and reflectance specifications	Conn. Gen. Stat. §14‑99g(b)

Penalties & how it's enforced

What happens if your tint is too dark.

Offense & fine

Operating or selling a non-conforming vehicle is an infraction. After a written notice of non-compliance, a repeat violation can lead to the vehicle being ordered off the road until corrected.

State inspection

Connecticut has no periodic statewide safety inspection for most passenger cars; tint is enforced roadside.

Meter tolerance

±3% built into the light-transmission and reflectance specifications

Recent changes

n/a: No 2025-2026 change to the tint percentages. The 35% (±3%) side-window floor and the passenger-vs-multipurpose split have stood for years under §14-99g.

The medical exemption: how to qualify

For drivers with a documented light-sensitivity condition.

Available?

Allowed

How it works

A person who must be shielded from direct sunlight for medical reasons is exempt from the tint limits. The exemption is requested in writing to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, supported by written documentation from a Connecticut-licensed physician or optometrist.

Citation

Conn. Gen. Stat. §14‑99g(g) · official source →

What Connecticut drivers get wrong

Connecticut sets one number for both front and back side windows on a car: 35% (±3%). The break comes by body style, not by seat. On a passenger car every side window keeps that 35% floor, but on a multipurpose vehicle such as an SUV or van the glass behind the driver may be any darkness. The rear window itself can be any darkness on either, provided the vehicle carries dual outside mirrors. Unlike a few neighbors, Connecticut does keep a medical exemption, applied for in writing through the DMV.

Common questions

Is 20% tint legal on the front windows in Connecticut?

No. Front side windows must allow at least 35% of light (±3%). A 20% film sits well under that floor and is illegal on the driver and front passenger windows regardless of vehicle type.

Can an SUV go darker than a sedan in Connecticut?

Yes, behind the driver. On a passenger car the back side windows keep the 35% (±3%) floor, but on a multipurpose vehicle such as an SUV or van the windows to the rear of the operator may be any darkness. The front side windows still need 35% on both.

Does Connecticut have a medical exemption for window tint?

Yes. A driver who must be shielded from direct sunlight for medical reasons can apply in writing to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, with documentation from a Connecticut-licensed physician or optometrist. Reports that the state has no exemption misread the statute.

Primary source

→ Conn. Gen. Stat. §14-99g

Official text · cga.ct.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.

Embed this explainer

Paste this on your own site. The embed stays in sync with this page, so any update here shows up there too.

<iframe
  src="https://plainstatute.com/embed/statute/window-tint--connecticut"
  title="Connecticut statute explainer by PlainStatute"
  loading="lazy"
  height="640"
  style="width:100%;max-width:640px;border:1px solid #e4e2d9;border-radius:12px"
  data-plainstatute="window-tint--connecticut"></iframe>
<script>
  window.addEventListener('message', function (e) {
    if (e.origin !== 'https://plainstatute.com') return;
    var d = e.data || {};
    if (d.type !== 'plainstatute:embed-height') return;
    var f = document.querySelector('iframe[data-plainstatute="' + d.slug + '"]');
    if (f) f.height = d.height;
  });
</script>

Window tint · other states

New York·Massachusetts·Rhode Island·California·Texas·Florida·All states →