Vehicle Law · Window Tint
Window Tint Laws in North Dakota
The exact legal darkness allowed on every window of your vehicle in North Dakota, 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 North Dakota limit.
| Film shade | Front side | Back & rear |
|---|---|---|
| 70% (light) | Legal | Legal |
| 50% | Legal | Legal |
| 35% (factory look) | Legal | Legal |
| 20% | Too dark | Conditional |
| 5% (limo) | Too dark | Conditional |
Windows behind the driver can be any darkness only when the vehicle carries outside mirrors on both sides (N.D.C.C. §39-21-39(4)). Without dual mirrors, those windows fall back to the 35% 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 North Dakota | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield | Windshield must allow at least 70%, except nonreflective sunscreening or tint may go above the AS-1 line or within the top 5 inches (12.7 cm) of the windshield | §39-21-39(4)–(5) |
| Front side | At least 35% light transmittance (lowered from 50% by HB1340 in 2025) | §39-21-39(4) |
| Back side | At least 35%, but any darkness is allowed on windows behind the driver when the vehicle has outside mirrors on both sides | §39-21-39(4) |
| Rear window | Any darkness when the vehicle has outside mirrors on both sides (both being behind the driver); otherwise the 35% floor applies | §39-21-39(4) |
| SUV / van rear | No separate vehicle-class rule; the behind-the-driver exemption already covers rear side and rear windows on any vehicle with dual outside mirrors | §39-21-39(4) |
| Reflection | Not specified in statute; §39-21-39 sets no reflectance limit | §39-21-39 |
| Banned colors | Not specified in statute; §39-21-39 names no prohibited colors | §39-21-39 |
| Medical exemption | NoneNo medical exemption exists in this state. | §39-21-39 |
| Meter tolerance | Not specified in statute | §39-21-39 |
Penalties & how it's enforced
What happens if your tint is too dark.
HB1340 (2025) (effective 2025-08-01): HB1340 (2025) lowered the front-side-window floor from 50% to 35% and aligned all non-windshield windows at 35%, keeping the windshield at 70% and the behind-driver dual-mirror exemption. It passed 89-2 in the House and 41-6 in the Senate and was signed by Gov. Armstrong; reporting places the effective date in 2025.
Medical exemption: none in this state
What the statute actually provides.
What North Dakota drivers get wrong
North Dakota changed its front-window rule in 2025. HB1340 dropped the front side floor from 50% to 35%, so the front doors, back side windows, and rear window now share one 35% number, and the windshield still has to let through 70% apart from a strip at the top. There is a catch worth knowing: windows behind the driver can be any darkness, but only if the car has outside mirrors on both sides. Without dual mirrors, everything back there returns to 35%.
Common questions
Did North Dakota change its tint law in 2025?
Yes. HB1340 lowered the front side window limit from 50% to 35%, so all non-windshield windows now share a 35% floor. The windshield stays at 70% and windows behind the driver keep the dual-mirror exemption. Reporting puts the effective date in 2025; confirm the exact date on ndlegis.gov.
Can rear windows be any darkness in North Dakota?
Only if the vehicle has outside mirrors on both sides. The 35% rule does not apply to windows behind the driver when dual outside mirrors are fitted (N.D.C.C. §39-21-39(4)). Without them, the rear windows must meet 35%.
How dark can the windshield be in North Dakota?
The windshield must allow at least 70% of light, except for a nonreflective strip above the AS-1 line or within the top 5 inches, whichever the statute marks. No darker film is allowed on the rest of the windshield.
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.