Under NJ window tint law, you cannot apply aftermarket tint film to your windshield or front side windows, but you can tint the rear side windows and back windshield to any darkness you choose. A narrow strip at the top of the windshield is allowed, and drivers with certain medical conditions can apply for an exemption that opens up the front windows. The rules come from N.J.S.A. 39:3-74 and the sunscreening provisions in Title 13, Chapter 20 of the New Jersey Administrative Code.
What Each Window Allows
New Jersey draws a hard line between the front and back of the vehicle. Front glass stays clear; rear glass can be as dark as you want.
- Windshield. No aftermarket tint film on the main viewing area. The statute prohibits non-transparent material other than items required by law, such as your registration sticker.1Justia. New Jersey Revised Statutes Section 39-3-74 – Windshields Must Be Unobstructed and Equipped With Cleaners
- Front side windows. The same statute bans non-transparent materials on the driver and front passenger windows. No light-reducing film is permitted.1Justia. New Jersey Revised Statutes Section 39-3-74 – Windshields Must Be Unobstructed and Equipped With Cleaners
- Rear side windows. Any darkness is permitted.2eCFR. New Jersey Administrative Code Title 13, Chapter 20, Subchapter 33
- Back windshield. Any level of tint darkness is legal.2eCFR. New Jersey Administrative Code Title 13, Chapter 20, Subchapter 33
The practical result is that the back half of your vehicle can be blacked out for privacy or heat reduction while the front half stays clear. This is where out-of-state drivers most often run into trouble. Tint levels that are legal in Pennsylvania or New York can trigger a stop the moment you cross into New Jersey.
The Windshield Strip and AS-1 Line
The one place aftermarket tint is allowed on the front windshield is a narrow strip at the top. New Jersey’s administrative code permits tinted spray or plastic material on the front windshield as long as it extends no lower than six inches from the top, or does not drop below the AS-1 marking stamped into the glass by the manufacturer.2eCFR. New Jersey Administrative Code Title 13, Chapter 20, Subchapter 33 The AS-1 line is a small etched marking near the top edge of most windshields; look for tiny letters and numbers along the border of the glass.
A separate sunscreening regulation confirms the same boundary. Materials applied to the windshield below the AS-1 line must not reduce light transmittance below 70 percent when combined with the factory glass, but above the AS-1 line the film can be darker.3Cornell Law Institute. N.J.A.C. 13:20-1.2 – Light Transmittance Standard That 70 percent threshold matches the federal minimum in FMVSS No. 205, which requires all windows needed for driving visibility to transmit at least 70 percent of light.4National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Interpretation ID 17440.drn
Reflectivity Limits
Darkness is only half the rule. New Jersey also bans window films that create a metallic or mirrored appearance on any window, front or rear. The concern is glare. A highly reflective surface can blind other drivers when sunlight hits at a low angle, and the state treats that as a hazard.
The working standard is that your film should not be noticeably more reflective than the glass the manufacturer originally installed. Metallic-finish films and mirror-style tints are the most common offenders. If your film gives the window a chrome or shiny look, it will not pass inspection regardless of which window it is on.
Medical Exemption for Front Tint
Drivers with a qualifying medical condition can apply tint to windows that are otherwise off-limits. The Motor Vehicle Commission runs a medical exemption program under N.J.A.C. 13:20-1.5 that covers conditions such as lupus, solar urticaria, porphyria, and other forms of light sensitivity.5New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. MR-15 Request for Medical Exemption to Apply Vehicle Sun-Screening
With an approved exemption, you can apply sunscreening material to the windshield above the AS-1 line that reduces light transmittance below 70 percent, and to the upper portion of the front side windows to reduce visible light below 35 percent.5New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. MR-15 Request for Medical Exemption to Apply Vehicle Sun-Screening Those numbers are considerably more permissive than what non-exempt drivers can install.
How to Apply
The process starts with the MR-15 form, available on the MVC website or at a local MVC agency. Your physician fills out a section of the form identifying your diagnosis and explaining why standard glass provides insufficient protection.5New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. MR-15 Request for Medical Exemption to Apply Vehicle Sun-Screening Not every light-sensitivity complaint qualifies. The MVC form lists specific conditions, and the physician must check one that matches.
Once the MVC approves the application, you receive a Medical Exemption for Vehicle Sun-Screening Certificate. The certificate must stay in the vehicle at all times. If you sell the vehicle or transfer your plates, you are required to return the certificate to the MVC.5New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. MR-15 Request for Medical Exemption to Apply Vehicle Sun-Screening
Renewal
The exemption is not permanent. Previously approved applicants must reapply every 48 months.6New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Application for Sunscreening If you let the renewal lapse, your tint technically becomes non-compliant even though it has not changed, and without a current certificate to show during a stop, you lose your defense to a citation.
Fines and Enforcement
The penalties are lower than many drivers expect. A violation of the windshield obstruction statute carries a maximum fine of $25, assessed under N.J.S.A. 39:3-79.7New Jersey Courts. Fines and Penalties of Common Motor Vehicle Offenses For violations of the sunscreening-specific provisions under N.J.S.A. 39:3-75.2, the fine can reach up to $100, though a judge may dismiss the charge if you can produce a valid medical exemption certificate that was current on the date of the stop.8Justia. New Jersey Revised Statutes Section 39-3-75.3
The real cost tends to be the hassle rather than the fine. Each stop adds a record to your driving history, and repeated violations signal to officers that you know about the problem and are ignoring it. Some drivers end up paying more to remove illegal tint after a ticket than they originally spent to install it. Professional removal typically runs $25 to $150 depending on how many windows are involved and whether the film comes off cleanly.
Commercial Vehicles
If you drive a commercial motor vehicle, a separate federal rule applies to the windows nearest the driver. Under 49 CFR 393.60, the windows immediately to the left and right of the driver must transmit at least 70 percent of light, matching the federal passenger-vehicle standard.9eCFR. 49 CFR 393.60 – Glazing in Specified Openings Other windows on the vehicle are not subject to that 70 percent minimum under federal rules, but New Jersey’s own regulations still apply. A tint violation found during an FMCSA roadside inspection goes on the vehicle’s safety record and can affect a carrier’s safety rating over time.
The Federal Baseline and Installer Liability
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 205 requires that all windows needed for driving visibility on a passenger car transmit at least 70 percent of light as the vehicle leaves the factory.10Federal Register. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards – Glazing Materials That standard applies to the manufacturer. A separate federal law, 49 U.S.C. 30122(b), prohibits manufacturers, dealers, and repair shops from installing tint that drops those windows below the 70 percent federal floor.4National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Interpretation ID 17440.drn
What this means in practice: if a dealership or body shop applies tint to your front windows that reduces light transmittance below 70 percent, the business is violating federal law regardless of the state you are in. This distinction matters if an installer has told you the shop takes the risk, not you. The shop does face federal liability, but you still face the New Jersey equipment citation every time you drive the vehicle.