NM · tint law reference

New Mexico window tint laws

Last verified September 14, 2026 · NMSA 1978 § 66-3-846.1

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.

New Mexico window tint limits by window and vehicle type
Window Sedans SUVs, vans & trucks
Windshield Sun screening material used with the windshield must be nonreflective, must not be red, yellow, or amber in color, and may be used only along the top of the windshield, not extending downward beyond the AS-1 (statute spells it "ASI") line or more than five inches from the top of the windshield, whichever is closer to the top. Sun screening material used with the windshield must be nonreflective, must not be red, yellow, or amber in color, and may be used only along the top of the windshield, not extending downward beyond the AS-1 (statute spells it "ASI") line or more than five inches from the top of the windshield, whichever is closer to the top.
Front side 20% VLT or lighter 20% VLT or lighter
Back side 20% VLT or lighter No VLT limit
Rear 20% 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

    All sun screening material must be "nonreflective," defined in subsection H(3) as "designed to absorb light rather than to reflect it." The statute states no numeric reflectance percentage. The nonreflectivity requirement is NOT lifted by the subsection F vehicle-type carve-out, which lifts only the light transmission requirement.

    Colors

    Red, yellow, or amber on the windshield. No color restriction is stated for the side or rear windows.

    Medical exemption

    Yes. Subsection E: the section does not apply to a vehicle registered in the name of a person (or the person's legal guardian) who holds an affidavit signed by a physician or optometrist licensed in New Mexico stating that the person has a physical condition making non-compliant sun screening necessary. The affidavit must be in that person's or guardian's possession at all times while being transported in the vehicle.

    Stickers & certification

    Subsection C: each manufacturer must certify to the Motor Vehicle Division that its material complies with the nonreflectivity and light transmission requirements, and must supply a label not exceeding 1.5 square inches, installed permanently and legibly between the material and each glazing surface, in the left lower corner of each glazing surface viewed from outside, bearing the manufacturer's name, the date of manufacture, and the percentage of light transmission. Subsection D makes it unlawful to install sun screening material without permanently affixing that label.

    Measurement tolerance

    This state does not state a measurement tolerance in the sources we checked.

    Penalties

    Penalty assessment misdemeanor (subsection I). The 2018 amendment (Laws 2018, ch. 74, § 33) replaced the former "petty misdemeanor … fine of not more than seventy-five dollars ($75.00)" with the penalty assessment classification.

    Notes

    Subsection F is a genuine vehicle-type carve-out that the previous record denied: "The light transmission requirement of this section does not apply to windows behind the driver on truck tractors, buses, recreational vehicles, multipurpose passenger vehicles or motor homes." SUVs, minivans, and other multipurpose passenger vehicles therefore have no VLT floor behind the driver, while the 20% floor still applies to their front side windows. Pickup trucks are an open question: the statute does not define "multipurpose passenger vehicle," and NHTSA classifies pickups as trucks rather than MPVs, so a pickup's rear windows may still be held to 20% — treat pickups conservatively. Side and rear window film may be used only on a vehicle equipped with one right and one left outside rearview mirror, and that requirement survives the subsection F carve-out. Subsection F also exempts glazing that complies with federal motor vehicle standards; subsection G grandfathers material applied before July 1, 1997. VERIFICATION LIMITATION: the New Mexico Compilation Commission's nmonesource.com and both Justia and FindLaw block automated retrieval, so the codified page itself was not read; the text above was read verbatim from the official New Mexico Legislature's enrolled bill text for the 2018 amending act (HB 271, § 34) and the 1997 original enactment (HB 649), and no amendment after 2018 was found.

    New Mexico tint questions

    What is the darkest legal tint in New Mexico?

    For a sedan in New Mexico, front side windows must let at least 20% of light through, back side windows at least 20%, and the rear window at least 20%. 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 20%, back side no VLT limit, rear no VLT limit.

    Is 20% tint legal in New Mexico?

    On the front side windows, yes on paper: New Mexico allows 20% VLT or lighter there, and a film that measures 20% meets that floor. The catch is the measurement — an officer reads the film and the glass together, so a 20% film over typical 70% factory glass measures about 14% and would fail. Verify with a meter after install.

    Can I tint the windshield in New Mexico?

    New Mexico's rule for the windshield: Sun screening material used with the windshield must be nonreflective, must not be red, yellow, or amber in color, and may be used only along the top of the windshield, not extending downward beyond the AS-1 (statute spells it "ASI") line or more than five inches from the top of the windshield, whichever is closer to the top.

    Does New Mexico allow a medical exemption for darker tint?

    What the source says: Yes. Subsection E: the section does not apply to a vehicle registered in the name of a person (or the person's legal guardian) who holds an affidavit signed by a physician or optometrist licensed in New Mexico stating that the person has a physical condition making non-compliant sun screening necessary. The affidavit must be in that person's or guardian's possession at all times while being transported in the vehicle. Confirm the current process with the agency named before you have film installed.

    Do I need a tint sticker or certificate in New Mexico?

    Subsection C: each manufacturer must certify to the Motor Vehicle Division that its material complies with the nonreflectivity and light transmission requirements, and must supply a label not exceeding 1.5 square inches, installed permanently and legibly between the material and each glazing surface, in the left lower corner of each glazing surface viewed from outside, bearing the manufacturer's name, the date of manufacture, and the percentage of light transmission. Subsection D makes it unlawful to install sun screening material without permanently affixing that label.

    Nearby states

    Where this comes from

    Statute cited: NMSA 1978 § 66-3-846.1

    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.

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