Vehicle Law · Window Tint
Window Tint Laws in Vermont
The exact legal darkness allowed on every window of your vehicle in Vermont, 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 Vermont 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 |
Vermont bans aftermarket film on the windshield (below AS-1) and on the front side windows entirely. Windows behind the driver may be any darkness if the car has an outside mirror on each side.
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 Vermont | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield | No material may be applied over the windshield. | §1125(a) |
| Front side | No aftermarket tint. | §1125(a) |
| Back side | Any darkness (no minimum) | §1125(a) |
| Rear window | Any darkness; the rear window may be obstructed only if the car has a securely attached mirror on each side | §1125(a) |
| SUV / van rear | No separate SUV/van rule; the rear side windows and rear window are already unrestricted for all vehicle types | §1125 |
| Reflection | Not specified in statute as a percentage; the windshield strip must be non-reflective, and colored film resembling emergency or signal lighting is prohibited. | §1125 |
| Banned colors | Red, amber, and other colors that resemble emergency or signal lighting are prohibited. | §1125 |
| Medical exemption | AllowedAvailable (details in the medical exemption section below). | §1125(b) |
| Meter tolerance | Not specified in statute. | §1125 |
Penalties & how it's enforced
What happens if your tint is too dark.
2024 Act 165, Sec. 14-16 (effective 2026-07-01): 2024 Act 165 (Sec. 14-16) amended §1125 and §1222 so that, effective July 1, 2026, tint exceeding the statute causes the vehicle to fail the safety inspection instead of receiving an advisory. It also required the DMV to update the inspection manual and run public outreach. The darkness limits themselves did not change.
The medical exemption: how to qualify
For drivers with a documented light-sensitivity condition.
What Vermont drivers get wrong
Vermont is one of the strictest states on the front of the car: no aftermarket film is allowed on the windshield below the AS-1 line or on the front side windows next to the driver. Only factory glass and a non-reflective strip above the AS-1 line are legal there. Behind the driver the rule flips completely, any darkness is fine as long as the car has an outside mirror on each side. A 2024 law (Act 165) did not loosen those limits; starting July 1, 2026 it just makes illegal tint an automatic inspection failure.
Common questions
Can I tint my front side windows in Vermont?
No. Vermont bans aftermarket film on the front side windows (and on the windshield below the AS-1 line). Only the original factory glass is legal there, aside from a narrow medical exemption granted by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles.
Did Vermont change its tint law for 2026?
Only the penalty side. 2024 Act 165 made non-compliant tint an automatic safety-inspection failure starting July 1, 2026, and directed the DMV to update its inspection manual. The actual darkness limits in §1125 did not change.
How dark can the back windows be in Vermont?
Any darkness. The §1125 prohibition covers only the windshield and the front side windows. The rear side windows and rear window may be any shade, provided the car has an outside mirror on both sides.
Is there a medical exemption for tint in Vermont?
Yes. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles can grant an exemption to someone who, for medical reasons, must be shielded from the sun, backed by a signed physician or optometrist certificate. It only covers the vent or side windows next to the driver.
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.