Vehicle Law · Window Tint
Window Tint Laws in Montana
The exact legal darkness allowed on every window of your vehicle in Montana, 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 Montana limit.
| Film shade | Front side | Back & rear |
|---|---|---|
| 70% (light) | Legal | Legal |
| 50% | Legal | Legal |
| 35% (factory look) | Legal | Legal |
| 20% | Too dark | Legal |
| 5% (limo) | Too dark | Too dark |
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. 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 Montana | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield | Below the AS-1 line the material must be clear and transparent. | §61-9-405(4)(a) |
| Front side | At least 24% light transmission; luminous reflectance no more than 35% | §61-9-405(4)(b) |
| Back side | At least 14% light transmission; luminous reflectance no more than 35% | §61-9-405(4)(c) |
| Rear window | 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 | §61-9-405(4)(c) |
| SUV / van rear | The 14% floor does not apply to windows behind the front seat on a multipurpose vehicle, van, or bus, so those windows may carry any darkness | §61-9-405(4)(c) |
| Reflection | Luminous reflectance no more than 35% on both the front side windows and the windows behind them | §61-9-405(4)(b)–(c) |
| Banned colors | ProhibitedRed, yellow, and amber, on the windshield strip above the AS-1 line | §61-9-405(4)(a) |
| Medical exemption | AllowedAvailable (details in the medical exemption section below). | §61-9-428 |
| Meter tolerance | Not specified in statute | §61-9-405 |
Penalties & how it's enforced
What happens if your tint is too dark.
-: No 2025 or 2026 change to the tint limits. The 24% front and 14% rear floors in §61-9-405(4) and the waiver path in §61-9-428 are the current text.
The medical exemption: how to qualify
For drivers with a documented light-sensitivity condition.
What Montana drivers get wrong
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.
Common questions
What is the legal tint limit in Montana?
Front side windows must allow at least 24% of light, and the side windows behind the driver plus the rear window must allow at least 14% (§61-9-405(4)). Reflectance on those windows is capped at 35%.
Can an SUV or van run darker rear windows in Montana?
Yes. The 14% floor does not apply to windows behind the front seat on a multipurpose vehicle, van, or bus, so those rear windows may be any darkness (§61-9-405(4)(c)). On a passenger car the 14% floor still applies.
Does Montana grant medical tint waivers?
Yes. Under §61-9-428 the highway patrol or a local law enforcement agency may issue a written waiver for safety, security, or medical reasons on an affidavit from a licensed physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse. Keep the waiver with the 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.