MD · tint law reference
Maryland window tint laws
Last verified September 14, 2026 · Transportation Article §22-406(i); COMAR 11.14.02.14 (vehicle glazing / post manufacture window tinting); penalty at Transportation Article §27-101
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 | Post manufacture window tint may not be applied to the windshield below the AS1 line or below 5 inches from the top of the windshield, whichever is less | Same as sedan |
| Front side | 35% VLT or lighter | 35% VLT or lighter |
| Back side | 35% VLT or lighter | No VLT limit |
| Rear | 35% VLT or lighter | No VLT limit |
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
No numeric reflectance limit. COMAR 11.14.02.14D(1)(a) prohibits post manufacture window tint that 'has a mirrored or one-way vision effect or a sparkling effect' on ANY window or windshield of ANY vehicle.
Colors
Red, yellow, or amber — and any tint that changes to a red, yellow, or amber color — are prohibited on any window or windshield of any vehicle (COMAR 11.14.02.14D(1)(b)-(c)).
Medical exemption
Yes (§22-406(i)(4)): written certification in the manner and format required by the Automotive Safety Enforcement Division (ASED) of the Department of State Police, from a physician licensed to practice medicine in Maryland, detailing the owner's medical need for tint below 35%; it must be in the vehicle when stopped. Valid for the period the physician determines, not to exceed 2 years, or indefinitely if the physician determines the condition is permanent. The driver may operate the vehicle without the certified person aboard as long as the certification is in the vehicle. The certification requirement does not apply to easily-removable tinting used to protect a child under 10 from the sun. The exemption covers only the 35% light-transmittance requirement — all other tint rules (color, mirrored/sparkling effect, windshield) still apply. Inspection stations must refer claimed medical exemptions to ASED.
Stickers & certification
No consumer compliance sticker. Enforcement runs through inspection: an officer who observes a violation may stop the driver and issue both a citation and a safety equipment repair order (SERO, defect #61 'TINT') under §23-105, and the vehicle must then be re-certified at an authorized inspection station, which measures the light transmittance of every window carrying post manufacture tint. Tint manufacturer labels, if present, may not affect the driver's vision or obscure the glazing manufacturer's trademark or AS marking.
Measurement tolerance
This state does not state a measurement tolerance in the sources we checked.
Penalties
Misdemeanor under Transportation Article §27-101(a); unless otherwise provided, a fine not exceeding $500 (§27-101(b)). An officer may also issue a safety equipment repair order under §23-105 in addition to the citation.
Notes
Maryland regulates by VEHICLE REGISTRATION CLASS, not by a generic sedan/SUV label. §22-406(i)(1)(i): a vehicle registered under §13-912 (Class A passenger — every passenger car and station wagon) must keep ANY window at >=35% VLT. §22-406(i)(1)(ii): a vehicle registered under §13-913 (Class B for hire), §13-917 (Class E truck, 3/4 ton or less and 7,000 lb GVW or less) or §13-937 (Class M multipurpose passenger vehicle — SUVs and minivans) is restricted only on 'any window to the immediate right or left of the driver.' COMAR 11.14.02.14D(2)(b)(iii) states the consequence outright: 'Windows of these vehicles to the rear of the driver may be tinted with post manufacture window tint to any degree of darkness.' That is the basis for suv_van back/rear being unrestricted. DUAL MIRRORS ARE A CONDITION OF THE ALLOWANCE, not a suggestion: COMAR D(2)(a)(i) permits the 35% passenger-car tint only where 'the vehicle is equipped with an outside rearview mirror on each side,' and D(2)(b)(iv) requires the same on any light truck/van/MPV with permitted tint on any side or rear window; a vehicle with tint and only one outside mirror is a rejection. Other COMAR rules: no post manufacture tint in the area of the rear window in front of an interior high-mounted stop lamp; limousines may not tint the windshield or the windows immediately right/left of the driver but may tint to the rear of the driver to any darkness with dual mirrors; post manufacture tint is prohibited on all windows and the windshield of a school vehicle. windowtintlaws.us is the lone secondary source claiming SUVs/vans are held to 35% on back side and rear windows; that contradicts both §22-406(i)(1)(ii) and COMAR and is wrong.
Maryland tint questions
What is the darkest legal tint in Maryland?
For a sedan in Maryland, 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. SUVs, vans and trucks are listed separately: front side 35%, back side no VLT limit, rear no VLT limit.
Is 20% tint legal in Maryland?
No, not on the front side windows. Maryland 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 Maryland?
Maryland's rule for the windshield: Post manufacture window tint may not be applied to the windshield below the AS1 line or below 5 inches from the top of the windshield, whichever is less
Does Maryland allow a medical exemption for darker tint?
What the source says: Yes (§22-406(i)(4)): written certification in the manner and format required by the Automotive Safety Enforcement Division (ASED) of the Department of State Police, from a physician licensed to practice medicine in Maryland, detailing the owner's medical need for tint below 35%; it must be in the vehicle when stopped. Valid for the period the physician determines, not to exceed 2 years, or indefinitely if the physician determines the condition is permanent. The driver may operate the vehicle without the certified person aboard as long as the certification is in the vehicle. The certification requirement does not apply to easily-removable tinting used to protect a child under 10 from the sun. The exemption covers only the 35% light-transmittance requirement — all other tint rules (color, mirrored/sparkling effect, windshield) still apply. Inspection stations must refer claimed medical exemptions to ASED. Confirm the current process with the agency named before you have film installed.
Do I need a tint sticker or certificate in Maryland?
No consumer compliance sticker. Enforcement runs through inspection: an officer who observes a violation may stop the driver and issue both a citation and a safety equipment repair order (SERO, defect #61 'TINT') under §23-105, and the vehicle must then be re-certified at an authorized inspection station, which measures the light transmittance of every window carrying post manufacture tint. Tint manufacturer labels, if present, may not affect the driver's vision or obscure the glazing manufacturer's trademark or AS marking.
Where this comes from
Statute cited: Transportation Article §22-406(i); COMAR 11.14.02.14 (vehicle glazing / post manufacture window tinting); penalty at Transportation Article §27-101
- mgaleg.maryland.govhttps://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gtr§ion=22-406&enactments=false
- regs.maryland.govhttps://regs.maryland.gov/us/md/exec/comar/11.14.02.14
- mgaleg.maryland.govhttps://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gtr§ion=27-101&enactments=false
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.