Texas Window Tint Law, Explained in Plain English (2026)

The following summary is based on Texas DPS window-tint guidance. Film shade alone is not a compliance test.

• Front side windows: at least 25% VLT and no more than 25% luminous reflectance, measured with film and original glass together, unless an applicable exemption applies.
• Rear side windows: exempt from these Texas tint restrictions; this is not a sedan-versus-SUV distinction.
• Rear window: unrestricted only with an outside mirror on each side giving a view at least 200 feet behind the vehicle. Without those mirrors, at least 25% VLT and no more than 25% reflectance apply.
• Windshield: the strip must be above the AS-1 line; if there is no line, it must end five inches below the top. Combined strip/glass VLT must be at least 25%, reflectance no more than 25%; no red, amber or blue. Clear, untinted UV film is separately allowed anywhere on the windshield.

For a medical exception to the front-side darkness requirement, DPS calls for a signed statement from a licensed physician or licensed optometrist identifying the driver or occupant and explaining the medical necessity. Keep the statement in the vehicle for law-enforcement review. DPS stopped issuing Window Tint Exemption Certificates on January 1, 2019. A customer-signed shop waiver is not a medical exception or permission to use otherwise noncompliant tint on public roads.

Verify the exact film, glass and installation before choosing a shade. A shop waiver or a nominal film percentage does not guarantee legality. Read the complete Texas tint guide.

Visible light transmission is the percentage of visible light passing through the window. Lower values are darker. For the regulated windows, Texas measures film and original glass together, not the number printed on the film box.

For illustration, 35% film multiplied by 75% glass is approximately 26.25% transmission. That arithmetic is not a substitute for measuring the installed combination, accounting for product tolerances and checking reflectance. A 35% film label does not guarantee compliance.

DPS measurement guidance is the reference for selecting compliant coverage.

DPS permits sunscreening devices above the AS-1 line; if there is no AS-1 line, they must end five inches below the top of the windshield. The strip and original glass together must transmit at least 25% of visible light and have no more than 25% luminous reflectance. Red, amber and blue are prohibited. DPS also permits clear, untinted UV film anywhere on the windshield without a medical exemption. A 70%, 80% or 25% film label, or the word ceramic, does not by itself establish that a full-windshield installation qualifies.

Do not rely on statements that a light film is 'rarely ticketed.' Appearance, enforcement anecdotes and a shop waiver are not substitutes for the applicable rule.

DPS windshield guidance distinguishes the regulated strip from clear, untinted UV film.

DPS limits luminous reflectance to 25% or less for the front side windows and regulated windshield strip, measured with original glass. The rear-window limit also applies when the required outside mirrors are absent. Do not assume a film is compliant solely because it is called ceramic or non-metallic.

Read the DPS reflectance requirements before selecting the product.

DPS states that side windows behind the driver are exempt from these tint restrictions. The rear window is a separate case: unrestricted tint requires an outside mirror on each side showing the roadway at least 200 feet behind the vehicle.

Without those mirrors, the rear-window glass and film must transmit at least 25% of visible light and reflect no more than 25%. This summary should not be replaced with an SUV-versus-sedan shortcut.

DPS rear-window guidance states the mirror condition.

Texas ended routine safety inspections for non-commercial vehicles on January 1, 2025. Applicable emissions testing is separate; commercial vehicles remain subject to their applicable inspection requirements. The change does not authorize otherwise unlawful tint or prevent enforcement during a traffic stop.

Do not select tint based on a promise that it is ticket-proof or will escape inspection. Confirm the applicable requirements for your vehicle and use.

References: DPS inspection-program update and DPS tint standards.

For a medical exception to the front-side darkness requirement, DPS calls for a signed statement from a licensed physician or licensed optometrist identifying the driver or occupant and explaining the medical necessity. Keep the statement in the vehicle for law-enforcement review. DPS stopped issuing Window Tint Exemption Certificates on January 1, 2019. A customer-signed shop waiver is not a medical exception or permission to use otherwise noncompliant tint on public roads.

This summary does not establish that a medical statement authorizes every windshield treatment or overrides every other requirement. Verify your circumstances against current DPS guidance before installation. General information, not individualized legal advice.

Ask for the exact film series and shade, the windows covered, combined-glass measurement where required, and the written product and workmanship warranty terms. Discuss any medical documentation before selecting the film; a customer waiver is not a substitute.

Compare window tint options and film categories. Guidance checked September 24, 2026 against the DPS sources linked above.