Legal tint limits at a glance
VLT is the share of light the window must let through — a lower number is darker film, and the reading includes the factory glass.
| Window | Sedans | SUVs, vans & trucks |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield | The front windshield may not be treated with material that reduces light transmittance more than the original or original-replacement window, except sun-screening/window-tinting material above the AS-1 line or, if there is no AS-1 line, along a 5-inch strip at the top of the windshield | Same as sedan — the statute makes no vehicle-type distinction |
| Front side | 35% VLT or lighter | 35% VLT or lighter |
| Back side | 35% VLT or lighter | 35% VLT or lighter |
| Rear | 35% VLT or lighter | 35% VLT or lighter |
Dual side mirrors required if the rear is tinted? Yes — this state requires dual outside mirrors when the rear window is tinted.
Is my tint legal here?
Film darkness and glass darkness multiply. Enter the film you are considering and the VLT of the bare glass to get the number a meter would read.
70 for tinted OEM glass, 80 for clear
Net VLT 14% 20% film × 70% glass
Pass/fail compares net VLT against the limits on this page only. Some states apply a measurement tolerance — see Measurement tolerance below — and none of this replaces a meter reading on your own glass.
The rest of the rule
Reflectivity
Reflective material is banned outright on ANY window (§1916(1)(A)) — there is no reflectance percentage. Critically, the dual-mirror exception in §1916(2)(B) lifts only paragraphs (C) and (D); it does NOT lift paragraph (A), so reflective film stays illegal on rear and rear-side windows even on a vehicle with two outside mirrors.
Colors
None. The statute contains no color restriction, contrary to aggregator claims of a red/amber ban.
Medical exemption
Yes: §1916(2)(A)(4) — the Chief of the State Police may grant an exception where the health of the owner, or of a person who usually occupies the vehicle, is adversely affected by sunlight, and may on proper application provide the owner a certificate of exemption that must be displayed on the request of a law enforcement officer.
Stickers & certification
Mandatory light transmittance certificate: the owner or operator of a vehicle with tinted windows not replaced per FMVSS 205, or windows covered/treated with tinting material, must acquire a light transmittance certificate and show it to the inspection mechanic at inspection. Certificates remain State property; failure to produce one on an officer's request creates a presumption of noncompliance. Persons authorized by the Chief of the State Police issue them and must surrender unissued certificates for 6 months if adjudicated of a violation.
Measurement tolerance
This state does not state a measurement tolerance in the sources we checked.
Penalties
Traffic infraction punishable by a forfeiture of not less than $100 (§1916(6)). Secondary sites quoting $50-$250 do not match the statute.
Notes
Maine's 35% floor is written as one uniform standard for 'a side window or rear window' with NO sedan/SUV/van distinction at all, so suv_van is reported identical to sedan. The practical escape hatch is equipment-based, not vehicle-class-based: §1916(2)(B) makes paragraphs (C) (the 35% floor) and (D) (the 2-way-glass requirement) inapplicable to side windows behind the operator's seat and to the rear window as long as the vehicle has 2 outside rear view mirrors, one on each side, adjusted for a clear view behind. Because essentially every modern vehicle has two outside mirrors, in real-world practice back side windows and the rear window can be tinted to any darkness on ANY body style in Maine - the 35 values above are the statutory floor that applies only to a vehicle lacking dual outside mirrors. Reflective film remains banned on those windows regardless (see reflectivity). Separately, §1916(1)(D) requires the front windshield, front door windows, and the windows at either end of a rear passenger seat to be 2-way glass giving occupants a clear view out and an outside observer a clear view of the occupants and interior. Secondary sources split 2-2 on this point: tinting-laws.com and the IWFA chart publish 35% for sedan back/rear, while windowtintlaws.us and cartintlaw.com publish 'any darkness'; both are describing the same conditional rule.
Maine tint questions
What is the darkest legal tint in Maine?
For a sedan in Maine, front side windows must let at least 35% of light through, back side windows at least 35%, and the rear window at least 35%. Lower VLT means darker glass, so those percentages are floors, not targets, and the meter reads the film and the factory glass together.
Is 20% tint legal in Maine?
No, not on the front side windows. Maine requires at least 35% VLT there and 20% is darker than that, before you even account for the factory glass, which makes the reading darker still. The back side windows have a 35% floor, so 20% is too dark there too.
Can I tint the windshield in Maine?
Maine's rule for the windshield: The front windshield may not be treated with material that reduces light transmittance more than the original or original-replacement window, except sun-screening/window-tinting material above the AS-1 line or, if there is no AS-1 line, along a 5-inch strip at the top of the windshield
Does Maine allow a medical exemption for darker tint?
What the source says: Yes: §1916(2)(A)(4) — the Chief of the State Police may grant an exception where the health of the owner, or of a person who usually occupies the vehicle, is adversely affected by sunlight, and may on proper application provide the owner a certificate of exemption that must be displayed on the request of a law enforcement officer. Confirm the current process with the agency named before you have film installed.
Do I need a tint sticker or certificate in Maine?
Mandatory light transmittance certificate: the owner or operator of a vehicle with tinted windows not replaced per FMVSS 205, or windows covered/treated with tinting material, must acquire a light transmittance certificate and show it to the inspection mechanic at inspection. Certificates remain State property; failure to produce one on an officer's request creates a presumption of noncompliance. Persons authorized by the Chief of the State Police issue them and must surrender unissued certificates for 6 months if adjudicated of a violation.
Nearby states
Where this comes from
Statute cited: 29-A M.R.S. §1916
Checked against the state's own statute or DMV page on September 14, 2026. Laws change; if you find a newer rule, email admin@getpeelboard.com.
Legal disclaimer: general information, not legal advice; verify with your DMV.