VT · tint law reference

Vermont window tint laws

Last verified September 14, 2026 · 23 V.S.A. § 1125 (Obstructing windshields, windows). The tinted-window amendments in 2024 Act 165, Secs. 14–16 (which would have allowed film at or above the 49 C.F.R. § 571.205 VLT level on the windshield/front side windows as of July 1, 2026) were deleted before taking effect by 2025 Act 66, Sec. 38.

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.

Vermont window tint limits by window and vehicle type
Window Sedans SUVs, vans & trucks
Windshield No aftermarket film: § 1125(a) bars material painted or adhered on or over any transparent part of the windshield. The only allowances are small specified areas — 4 in x 12 in lower right corner, 2 in x 2.5 in upper left corner, Commissioner-specified spots for government-required stickers, dealer stickers before sale, a rearview mirror or toll transponder. The statute contains NO AS-1/top-strip tint allowance. Same as sedan; § 1125 draws no distinction by vehicle type
Front side No aftermarket film No aftermarket film
Back side No VLT limit No VLT limit
Rear No VLT limit 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

    Not addressed in 23 V.S.A. § 1125 (no reflectance limit in the statute)

    Colors

    None specified in 23 V.S.A. § 1125

    Medical exemption

    § 1125(c): the Commissioner may grant an exemption on application with a document signed by a licensed physician or optometrist certifying that shielding from the sun is a medical necessity; the certification must be renewed every four years, except that if a physician/optometrist has previously certified the condition is permanent and stable the applicant may renew without a new signed form. The shading/tinting permitted is limited to the vent windows or the side windows immediately left and right of the operator. The exemption terminates on transfer of the vehicle and the seller must then remove the tint; torn, bubbled, or worn film must be removed or replaced. Applied for on DMV form VN-022; the permit is issued for a 4-year term (temporary conditions) or indefinitely (permanent and stable), applies only to the listed vehicle(s), must be in the primary vehicle with a copy in each other exempted vehicle, and is subject to inspection on request.

    Stickers & certification

    None required by statute

    Measurement tolerance

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

    Penalties

    § 1125 sets no fine; a violation is enforced as an ordinary Vermont motor-vehicle traffic violation (fine set by the Judicial Bureau waiver schedule, not by the statute). Secondary sites citing specific dollar figures (e.g. $250) are not supported by statutory text.

    Notes

    Net effect for shops: nothing may be applied to the windshield, vent windows, or the front side windows next to the driver (factory glass only) unless a DMV medical permit is held; rear side windows and the back window may be obstructed to any darkness, but only if the vehicle has a securely attached mirror on each side giving a clear view of the roadway to the rear and both sides. No VLT numbers appear anywhere in the statute, so all four VLT fields are null by law, not by uncertainty. Two reputable secondary summaries (tinting-laws.com, tintwiz) assert a non-reflective strip above the AS-1 line is legal on the windshield; that allowance is NOT in 23 V.S.A. § 1125, and the DMV Periodic Inspection Manual (VN-113, rule CVR 14-050-022) could not be text-extracted to check enforcement practice. windowtintlaws.us claims back side/rear windows are capped at 32% VLT — contradicted by § 1125(d), which imposes no VLT limit at all behind the driver. Also note the near-miss: 2024 Act 165 would have legalized ≥70%-VLT film on the fronts effective July 1, 2026, but 2025 Act 66, Sec. 38 deleted those sections, so the old rule still stands as of 2026-09-14.

    Vermont tint questions

    Can I tint the windshield in Vermont?

    Vermont's rule for the windshield: No aftermarket film: § 1125(a) bars material painted or adhered on or over any transparent part of the windshield. The only allowances are small specified areas — 4 in x 12 in lower right corner, 2 in x 2.5 in upper left corner, Commissioner-specified spots for government-required stickers, dealer stickers before sale, a rearview mirror or toll transponder. The statute contains NO AS-1/top-strip tint allowance.

    Does Vermont allow a medical exemption for darker tint?

    What the source says: § 1125(c): the Commissioner may grant an exemption on application with a document signed by a licensed physician or optometrist certifying that shielding from the sun is a medical necessity; the certification must be renewed every four years, except that if a physician/optometrist has previously certified the condition is permanent and stable the applicant may renew without a new signed form. The shading/tinting permitted is limited to the vent windows or the side windows immediately left and right of the operator. The exemption terminates on transfer of the vehicle and the seller must then remove the tint; torn, bubbled, or worn film must be removed or replaced. Applied for on DMV form VN-022; the permit is issued for a 4-year term (temporary conditions) or indefinitely (permanent and stable), applies only to the listed vehicle(s), must be in the primary vehicle with a copy in each other exempted vehicle, and is subject to inspection on request. Confirm the current process with the agency named before you have film installed.

    Do I need a tint sticker or certificate in Vermont?

    None required by statute

    Nearby states

    Where this comes from

    Statute cited: 23 V.S.A. § 1125 (Obstructing windshields, windows). The tinted-window amendments in 2024 Act 165, Secs. 14–16 (which would have allowed film at or above the 49 C.F.R. § 571.205 VLT level on the windshield/front side windows as of July 1, 2026) were deleted before taking effect by 2025 Act 66, Sec. 38.

    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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