Quick reference
- Nevada: 35% front sides, any darkness rear with outside mirrors on both sides, windshield strip only if its bottom edge sits at least 29 inches above the driver’s seat. Medical exemptions through a Nevada Highway Patrol application, with the permit kept in the vehicle.
- Colorado: 27% front sides, 27% rear (darker only if front sides + windshield allow 70%+), windshield strip on the top 4 inches only. No medical-exemption pathway in the statute.
- Florida: 28% front sides, 15% rear (6% on multipurpose vehicles such as SUVs and vans), non-reflective AS-1 windshield. Medical exemptions through FLHSMV form HSMV 83390.
- Know the limit: Polar Tint walks every customer through their state’s legal VLT before install — it pays to know exactly where the line is.
What VLT actually means
Visible Light Transmission (VLT) is the percentage of visible light that passes through tinted glass. A 35% VLT film allows 35% of light through, blocks 65%, and reads on a tint meter at 35. Lower numbers are darker. The factory glass on most cars sits between 70% and 80% VLT, which is why you can still see “factory tint” on rear glass at 20% — the privacy glass is already tinted from the manufacturer, and aftermarket film stacks on top of it.
State law typically regulates VLT separately for front side windows, rear side windows, the rear windshield, and the front windshield. Most states also reference the AS-1 line — the manufacturer-marked horizontal line near the top of the windshield, usually 4 to 5 inches from the top edge — as the boundary for legal windshield tint.
The three Polar Tint markets in depth
Nevada (NRS 484D.440)
Nevada is among the more permissive states. Polar Tint operates three open shops in Nevada (Henderson, Summerlin, Spring Valley Ranch) and quotes only legal pairings.
| Window | Minimum VLT | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield | n/a | Top strip only; bottom edge at least 29 inches above the driver’s seat |
| Front side windows | 35% | Both driver and passenger |
| Rear side windows | Any darkness | Even 5% limo dark is legal — if the vehicle has outside mirrors on both sides (200-foot view, NRS 484D.440) |
| Rear window | Any darkness | Even 5% limo dark is legal — if the vehicle has outside mirrors on both sides (200-foot view, NRS 484D.440) |
Nevada handles medical exemptions through a written application to the Nevada Highway Patrol (Department of Public Safety), the ‘Application for Window Tint Exemption,’ with a sworn statement from the treating physician. The approved permit is kept in the vehicle. Find a Polar Tint Nevada shop at our locations page.
Colorado
Colorado allows darker front side windows than Nevada (a 27% minimum versus 35%). Polar Tint Parker North — the network’s first Colorado location — opened June 3, 2026 and installs only legal pairings.
| Window | Minimum VLT | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield | n/a | Strip on the top 4 inches only |
| Front side windows | 27% | Both driver and passenger |
| Rear side windows | 27% | Same minimum as front sides |
| Rear window | 27% | Darker only if front sides + windshield allow 70%+ |
Colorado has no medical-exemption pathway in the statute.
Florida
Florida is permissive on the rear and stricter on the front than Colorado. Polar Tint Fort Lauderdale (FL) is opening soon (see our Florida page).
| Window | Minimum VLT | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield | Non-reflective above AS-1 | AS-1 strip permitted |
| Front side windows | 28% | Must allow more than 28% through |
| Rear side windows | 15% | 6% on multipurpose vehicles such as SUVs and vans |
| Rear window | 15% | Same as rear side |
Florida handles medical exemptions through FLHSMV form HSMV 83390, which includes a Physician’s Statement of Certification completed by a physician, dermatologist, advanced registered nurse practitioner or physician assistant.
Top-10 states at a glance
The table below summarizes 2026 VLT limits for the ten largest tint-installing states. Reflectivity and color rules (no red, no amber, no mirror) apply broadly and aren’t restated.
| State | Front sides VLT | Rear sides VLT | Rear window VLT | Windshield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 35% | Any† | Any† | Top strip, 29″ above seat |
| Colorado | 27% | 27% | 27%* | Top 4″ |
| Florida | 28% | 15%‡ | 15%‡ | AS-1 |
| Texas | 25% | Any | Any† | AS-1 (5″) |
| Arizona | 33% | Any | Any† | Top strip, 29″ above seat |
| California | Clear film only (≥88%) | Any | Any† | Top strip, 29″ above seat |
| Georgia | 28% | 15%‡ | 15%‡ | Top 6″ |
| North Carolina | 35% | 35% | 35% | AS-1 |
| New York | 70% | 70%§ | Any† | Top 6″ |
| Illinois | 35% or 50%¶ | 35% or 30%¶ | 35% or 30%¶ | AS-1 (6″) |
* Colorado: the windows behind the driver, including the back window, may go darker than 27% only if the front side windows and the windshield allow at least 70% VLT (C.R.S. 42-4-227).
† Nevada: the back side windows and rear window may go any darkness only if the vehicle has outside mirrors on both sides, each giving the driver a view at least 200 feet to the rear (NRS 484D.440). Arizona, California, New York and Texas: the rear window may go any darkness (below 70% in New York) only with outside mirrors on both sides; without them, Texas caps it at 25%. Arizona and California place no limit on the back side windows.
‡ Multipurpose vehicles such as SUVs and vans may go darker behind the driver: as dark as 6% in Florida (Fla. Stat. 316.2954), and exempt from the limit in Georgia (O.C.G.A. 40-8-73.1, effective July 1, 2026, when Georgia's limits changed from 32% to 28% front and 15% behind the driver).
§ New York: sedans, coupes, hatchbacks, convertibles and station wagons must keep the back side windows at 70% VLT, with no mirror exception; SUVs, vans and pickups may go any darkness on the back side windows.
¶ Illinois: front side windows at 35% with at least 35% behind the driver, or at 50% with at least 30% behind the driver, for every vehicle type (625 ILCS 5/12-503). California allows only clear film on the front side windows (at least 88% VLT for the film).
Medical exemption rules — the broad picture
Most states allow some form of medical exemption from the front-window VLT minimum, generally on the strength of a physician’s statement attesting that the driver (or a regular passenger) has a medical condition that requires darker tint. Exact eligibility and paperwork vary by state, so confirm the current process with your state’s DMV. There are three common patterns:
- State application. Some states handle exemptions through an application to a state agency — for example Florida (FLHSMV form HSMV 83390), Nevada (Nevada Highway Patrol) and Arizona (ADOT form 40-1511).
- Document carried in the vehicle. In other states there is no application; the driver keeps a signed physician’s or optometrist’s statement in the vehicle — for example Texas.
- No exemption. Some states, including Colorado, Hawaii, Kentucky, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Utah, have no medical-exemption pathway, even with a physician’s statement.
Polar Tint will install below the legal minimum on a verified medical exemption with documentation, but the exemption paperwork has to be in place before the install — not after.
Why the legal limit matters
Knowing your state’s legal VLT up front saves you time and hassle at install. Polar Tint walks every customer through their state’s VLT, explains the IR-rejection math at each darkness level, and installs the look you choose. For most drivers, the darkest legal grade delivers the privacy and heat rejection they’re after while staying fully compliant.
For the perennial reference (all 50 states, updated when statutes change), see window film laws by state. For our network shops in Nevada and Colorado, find directions and hours at polartint.com/locations.
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