Tint laws by state
New York tint laws: 70% on the side windows, free at the back
New York sets 70% on the side windows of a car and lets the back window go dark with two mirrors. Enter the film and the glass: the calculator checks each window.
Too dark for the law in New York
56% front side
| Meter reads | Law | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front side | 56% | 70% | too dark |
| Rear side | 56% | 70% | too dark |
| Back window | – | any darkness | any |
Darkest film on this glass: front side 100% · rear side 100% · back window any film
Windshield: 6 in.
The statute does not say how the window is measured; we use film × glass, the reading a meter gives.
Statute: N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law § 375(12-a) · New York
Read on an archived copy (web.archive.org) of the official page on nysenate.gov, dated October 12, 2026; the official site did not answer automated reading.
New York uses one figure, 70%, and applies it to most of the glass. Under N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law § 375(12-a), no one may drive a car whose windshield, or side windows beside or in front of the driver's seat, are covered with material that has a light transmittance below 70%. The same 70% applies to the rear side windows of station wagons, sedans, hardtops, coupes, hatchbacks and convertibles. The back window may be darker if the vehicle has side mirrors on both sides giving a clear and full view of the road behind. SUVs, vans and trucks are not in the list of body styles for the rear side windows, so those windows are free on them. On the windshield, material below 70% may only sit in the uppermost 6 inches. The statute does not say whether the glass counts and gives no tolerance, so the calculator shows the combined reading: an 80% film on 85% glass reads 68%. A violation is a traffic infraction, punished on a first conviction by a fine of up to $150, up to 15 days in jail, or both.
Compare two states
Front side windows: New York / New Jersey
70% / no film
| Rear side windows | 70% / any darkness |
| Back window | any darkness / any darkness |
| Stricter in front | same or no figure |
Statutes read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How the check works
Read on an archived copy (web.archive.org) of the official page on nysenate.gov, dated October 12, 2026; the official site did not answer automated reading.
Which windows carry the 70% rule
The statute names windows and body styles rather than giving one rule for the whole car. Read window by window, it gives:
| Window | Sedan, coupe, hatchback, wagon, convertible | SUV, van or truck |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield | 70%, darker only in the top 6 in. | 70%, darker only in the top 6 in. |
| Front side windows | 70% | 70% |
| Rear side windows | 70% | no limit |
| Back window | any, with two side mirrors | any, with two side mirrors |
Why so little film fits
Federal standard FMVSS 205 requires at least 70% for the glass in the driver's field of view, and New York asks for the same figure with the material on. A meter cannot separate film from glass, so the room left is small:
| Film | On 80% glass | On 88% glass |
|---|---|---|
| 90% | 72% | 79.2% |
| 80% | 64% | 70.4% |
| 70% | 56% | 61.6% |
Only a clear film on clear glass keeps a sedan's side windows at 70% on the meter. The calculator above flags the case where the film alone meets 70% but the window, glass included, does not.
Medical exemption
The DMV Commissioner may exempt the windshield and front side windows for a person who needs shielding from the sun and drives or is regularly driven in the vehicle. The application carries a statement from a physician or nurse practitioner giving the condition and the minimum light transmission needed, and the condition must appear on the list kept by the Health Commissioner. Without that exemption, there is no route to darker front film in New York.
Testing and labels
The statute lets the DMV test a window; one found to comply gets a small conformity label. A medical exemption comes with a DMV sticker for each shielded window. Neither the label nor the sticker replaces the rule for the other windows.
Driving in from New Jersey or Pennsylvania
New York's neighbors read the side windows very differently. Compare New York with any state here:
Compare two states
Front side windows: New York / New Jersey
70% / no film
| Rear side windows | 70% / any darkness |
| Back window | any darkness / any darkness |
| Stricter in front | same or no figure |
New Jersey allows no film on the front side windows, Connecticut asks for 35%, Massachusetts for 35%, Vermont allows no film and Pennsylvania asks for 70% in its inspection table. A car tinted to the Connecticut or Massachusetts line is too dark on the front for New York.
Penalty
A violation is a traffic infraction. The general penalty of section 1800(a) applies: up to $150, up to 15 days in jail, or both for a first conviction, and more for a second within 18 months. Read on an archived copy (web.archive.org) of the official page on nysenate.gov, dated October 12, 2026; the official site did not answer automated reading.