OR · tint law reference
Oregon window tint laws
Last verified September 14, 2026 · ORS 815.221 (tinting; authorized and prohibited materials; certificate); ORS 815.222 (illegal window tinting; dismissal; penalty)
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 | Tinting darker than the general standard may be applied only to the top six inches of the windshield; tinting material may not be applied to any other portion of the windshield (ORS 815.221(3)). | Same top-six-inch rule 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
Tinting material must have a light reflectance of 13% or less (ORS 815.221(2)(b)).
Colors
Mirror finish products; red, gold, yellow, amber or black material; and tinting material in liquid pre-application form that is brushed or sprayed on (ORS 815.221(8)).
Medical exemption
ORS 815.221(5)–(6): material producing a lower light transmittance than the standard may be applied to the side and rear windows of a vehicle registered in the name of the person or the person's legal guardian if the person, or another person in the person's household, has an affidavit, a prescription, or a letter on the practitioner's letterhead signed by a validly licensed physician or optometrist stating a physical condition requires it. The document must be kept in the vehicle and shown to a police officer who inquires about the tint. The statute requires no DMV application or form and sets no numeric VLT floor for the exemption. ORS 815.222(5) separately lets a court dismiss a citation or reduce the fine on the same documentation.
Stickers & certification
ORS 815.221(9)–(10): the installer must give the customer a certificate stating the installer's name and address, the tinting material's light transmittance, its light reflectance, and that total light transmittance through each window with the material applied is not less than 35%; the certificate must be kept in the vehicle and shown to a police officer who inquires about the tint. No window sticker is required.
Measurement tolerance
This state does not state a measurement tolerance in the sources we checked.
Penalties
Class B traffic violation (ORS 815.222(3)) for either applying non-complying tint or operating a vehicle with it. A court may dismiss the citation or reduce the fine if the windows were brought into compliance after the citation was issued, or on qualifying medical documentation (ORS 815.222(4)–(5)).
Notes
Oregon regulates film and net glass separately: the film itself must transmit ≥50% and reflect ≤13%, AND total transmittance through the window with the film applied must be ≥35% (ORS 815.221(2)). For a 'multipurpose passenger vehicle' — motive power, designed to carry 10 or fewer persons, built on a truck chassis or with special features for occasional off-road operation — darker material may go on ALL windows behind the driver if the vehicle has rear-view mirrors on each side and the tinted windows meet the federal AS-3 glazing requirement (ORS 815.221(4)); front side windows stay at 35% on an MPV. ORS 815.221(7): there are no light transmittance requirements for glazing applied to AS-3 type windows. windowtintlaws.us wrongly calls the offense a Class C traffic violation and describes the required certificate as a sticker.
Oregon tint questions
What is the darkest legal tint in Oregon?
For a sedan in Oregon, 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 Oregon?
No, not on the front side windows. Oregon 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 Oregon?
Oregon's rule for the windshield: Tinting darker than the general standard may be applied only to the top six inches of the windshield; tinting material may not be applied to any other portion of the windshield (ORS 815.221(3)).
Does Oregon allow a medical exemption for darker tint?
What the source says: ORS 815.221(5)–(6): material producing a lower light transmittance than the standard may be applied to the side and rear windows of a vehicle registered in the name of the person or the person's legal guardian if the person, or another person in the person's household, has an affidavit, a prescription, or a letter on the practitioner's letterhead signed by a validly licensed physician or optometrist stating a physical condition requires it. The document must be kept in the vehicle and shown to a police officer who inquires about the tint. The statute requires no DMV application or form and sets no numeric VLT floor for the exemption. ORS 815.222(5) separately lets a court dismiss a citation or reduce the fine on the same documentation. Confirm the current process with the agency named before you have film installed.
Do I need a tint sticker or certificate in Oregon?
ORS 815.221(9)–(10): the installer must give the customer a certificate stating the installer's name and address, the tinting material's light transmittance, its light reflectance, and that total light transmittance through each window with the material applied is not less than 35%; the certificate must be kept in the vehicle and shown to a police officer who inquires about the tint. No window sticker is required.
Where this comes from
Statute cited: ORS 815.221 (tinting; authorized and prohibited materials; certificate); ORS 815.222 (illegal window tinting; dismissal; penalty)
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.