Vehicle Law · Window Tint
Window Tint Laws in New Jersey
The exact legal darkness allowed on every window of your vehicle in New Jersey, 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 New Jersey limit.
| Film shade | Front side | Back side | Rear window |
|---|---|---|---|
| 70% (light) | Too dark | Legal | Conditional |
| 50% | Too dark | Legal | Conditional |
| 35% (factory look) | Too dark | Legal | Conditional |
| 20% | Too dark | Legal | Conditional |
| 5% (limo) | Too dark | Legal | Conditional |
The N.J.A.C. 13:20-1 sun-screening rules govern only the windshield and front side windows. Windows behind the driver are not covered by a light-transmittance floor; dual outside mirrors are the practical condition for tinting them.
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 New Jersey | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield | No sun-screening material below the AS-1 line (it must keep 70% there); material is allowed only on the portion of the windshield above the AS-1 line, and it must be a clear film. | N.J.A.C. 13:20-1.2(a) |
| Front side | No aftermarket darkening. | N.J.A.C. 13:20-1.2(c) |
| Back side | Any darkness. | N.J.S.A. 39:3-74; N.J.A.C. 1… |
| Rear window | Any darkness; outside rear-view mirrors on both the left and right side are the practical requirement once the rear glass is tinted | N.J.S.A. 39:3-74; 39:3-71 |
| SUV / van rear | No separate rule. | N.J.A.C. 13:20-1 |
| Reflection | Visible light reflectance of film on the windshield or front side windows may not exceed 8% | N.J.A.C. 13:20-1.3 |
| Banned colors | ProhibitedWindshield film must be a clear film (neutral gray appearance); front side window film may be clear or tinted film. | N.J.A.C. 13:20-1.4(a) |
| Medical exemption | AllowedAvailable (details in the medical exemption section below). | N.J.S.A. 39:3-75.1; N.J.A.C.… |
| Meter tolerance | Not specified in regulation. | N.J.A.C. 13:20-1 |
Penalties & how it's enforced
What happens if your tint is too dark.
N.J.A.C. 13:20-1 (current): No recent change to the darkness limits. The governing sun-screening rules (N.J.A.C. 13:20-1) keep the 60% front-side floor, the AS-1 windshield line, the 8% reflectance cap, and the medical exemption certificate framework.
The medical exemption: how to qualify
For drivers with a documented light-sensitivity condition.
What New Jersey drivers get wrong
New Jersey draws a hard line at the front of the car. No darkening film is allowed on the driver and front passenger windows (the rule keeps them at 60% or lighter), and the windshield takes film only above the AS-1 line, in a clear neutral-gray form. Everything behind the driver is a different story: the sun-screening rules set no darkness floor back there, so rear glass can be as dark as you like once both outside mirrors are in place.
Common questions
Can I put any tint on my front windows in New Jersey?
Not a darkening film. The state sun-screening rules keep the front side windows at 60% light transmittance or lighter and require windshield film to be clear, so ordinary tint on the driver and front passenger windows is not legal without a medical exemption certificate.
How dark can rear windows be in New Jersey?
Any darkness. The N.J.A.C. 13:20-1 rules cover only the windshield and front side windows, so there is no light-transmittance floor on windows behind the driver. Keep outside mirrors on both sides once the rear glass is tinted.
Does New Jersey have a medical exemption for tint?
Yes. A driver or regular passenger with ophthalmic or dermatological photosensitivity can get a medical exemption certificate, certified by an ophthalmologist or licensed physician. It lasts 48 months, must be carried in the vehicle, and covers the windshield and front side windows.
How reflective can New Jersey tint be?
Film on the windshield or front side windows may not exceed 8% visible light reflectance (N.J.A.C. 13:20-1.3), so mirrored or highly reflective film is out on the front of 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.