Window tint laws in NY set a 70% Visible Light Transmission floor for most windows on passenger cars, meaning at least 70% of outside light has to pass through the glass. SUVs, trucks, and vans get more freedom on their rear windows. Tint is checked during the annual vehicle inspection, and a violation carries a fine of up to $150 but no points on your license.1New York State Senate. New York Vehicle and Traffic Law 375 – Equipment2NY DMV. The New York State Driver Point System
The 70% VLT Rule for Passenger Cars
If your vehicle is a sedan, coupe, hatchback, hardtop, station wagon, or convertible, New York classifies it as a passenger car and applies the 70% VLT rule to every window:
- Front windshield: at least 70% VLT, with a non-reflective tint strip permitted on the top six inches only.
- Front side windows: at least 70% VLT.
- Rear side windows: at least 70% VLT.
- Rear windshield: at least 70% VLT, unless the vehicle has side mirrors on both sides, in which case the rear windshield can be tinted to any darkness.
The rear side window rule is the one most drivers get wrong. Many states let you tint rear side glass freely on a passenger car; New York does not.1New York State Senate. New York Vehicle and Traffic Law 375 – Equipment You can confirm your vehicle’s classification by checking the Federal ID label on the left front door panel. If it reads “Passenger Car,” these rules apply to you.3NY DMV. Tinted Windows
Rules for SUVs, Trucks, and Vans
Multipurpose vehicles get flexibility on the back half of the car. The front windshield and front side windows still have to meet 70% VLT, but rear side windows and the rear windshield can be tinted to any darkness.3NY DMV. Tinted Windows That’s why an SUV can legally run very dark rear glass while a sedan next to it cannot.
Reflective and Mirrored Tint Is Never Allowed
No matter what you drive, any film that gives a window a metallic or mirrored appearance is illegal on every window.3NY DMV. Tinted Windows Meeting the 70% VLT threshold isn’t enough on its own. The reflective finish is a separate violation.
Medical Exemptions
New York allows drivers and regular passengers with severe photosensitivity to tint the front windshield and front side windows below 70% VLT.1New York State Senate. New York Vehicle and Traffic Law 375 – Equipment The exemption is tied to the person, not just the driver, so a vehicle can qualify based on someone who regularly rides in it.
Qualifying Conditions
The New York State Department of Health lists the conditions that qualify, and personal protective measures like sunscreen, protective clothing, and eye protection must be inadequate first. The qualifying conditions are:
- Albinism
- Chronic actinic dermatitis or actinic reticuloid
- Dermatomyositis
- Lupus erythematosus
- Porphyria
- Xeroderma pigmentosum
- Severe drug photosensitivity where the course of treatment is expected to be prolonged
- Photophobia associated with an ophthalmic or neurological disorder
A catch-all provision also covers any other condition causing severe photosensitivity that requires shielding from direct sunlight for medical reasons.4New York State Department of Health. Medical Conditions For Which an Exemption From Restrictions on Tinted Glass May Be Issued
How to Apply
Applications go through the DMV’s Medical Review Unit using Form MV-80W.5Department of Motor Vehicles. Medical Exemptions You fill out page one with your personal and vehicle information. Page two must be completed by a New York State licensed physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner, and the medical examination must be within 60 days of when you submit the form.6NY DMV. Application for Tinted Window Exemption
Include a photocopy of your New York vehicle registration and a copy of the medical provider’s New York professional license. Mail everything to:
Department of Motor Vehicles
Driver Regulation Bureau, Medical Review Unit
6 Empire State Plaza, Room 337
Albany, NY 122286NY DMV. Application for Tinted Window Exemption
The statute requires your medical provider to specify the minimum level of light transmission you need, so an exemption isn’t a blanket approval to go as dark as you want.1New York State Senate. New York Vehicle and Traffic Law 375 – Equipment Once approved, the DMV issues a sticker that must be affixed to the tinted window, and you should keep the exemption certificate in the vehicle to show officers during a stop. Exemptions expire and must be renewed.
Tint and the Annual Inspection
Since January 1, 2017, window tint has been part of New York’s annual vehicle safety inspection.3NY DMV. Tinted Windows If any window fails the 70% VLT standard and you don’t have a valid medical exemption sticker, the vehicle will not pass. You aren’t tied to any one shop for the fix. You can have the film removed anywhere, or do it yourself, then take the vehicle to any registered inspection station for a new inspection.7NY DMV. New York State Vehicle Safety/Emissions Inspection Program
Fines and Points
A tint violation is treated as an equipment violation. The maximum fine is $150, and the statute technically allows up to 30 days of jail time or both, though jail for a tint ticket is essentially unheard of.1New York State Senate. New York Vehicle and Traffic Law 375 – Equipment A tinted window violation carries zero points on your driving record.2NY DMV. The New York State Driver Point System
How Officers Measure Tint
During a traffic stop, officers use a handheld tint meter that clamps onto either side of the glass. One side shines a light, the other measures how much passes through, and a digital screen shows the VLT reading. Officers usually test several spots on the same window because darkness can vary from center to edge, and they’ll often ask you to roll the window down a few inches so the meter isn’t pressed against the rubber seal. The lowest reading from any tested spot is the one that counts.
Meters have to be routinely calibrated, and departments keep records of those calibrations. A meter that hasn’t been properly calibrated can be challenged in court, and that is one of the few viable defenses against a tint ticket. Conditions matter as well. Moisture, dirt, and extreme temperatures can all affect readings, so a careful officer will wipe the glass clean before testing. If a reading was taken under poor conditions or with a meter of questionable calibration, that’s worth raising if you decide to fight the ticket.