The Tint On Your Windows
Transp. Code 547.613 — 25 percent on the front side windows, and the windshield only above the AS-1 line
In Texas, it is a misdemeanor to operate a vehicle with material on the windshield or a window that obstructs or reduces the operator's clear view, or for anyone, including an installer, to put on a transparent material that alters the color or reduces the light transmission, except as the section allows.
| The glass | What the statute allows |
|---|---|
| The glassWindshield | What the statute allowsA sunscreening device with light transmission of 25 percent or more and luminous reflectance of 25 percent or less, not red, blue or amber, and not below the AS-1 line or more than five inches from the top, whichever is closer to the top |
| The glassWindows left and right of the operator | What the statute allowsLight transmission of 25 percent or more and luminous reflectance of 25 percent or less |
| The glassSide windows behind the operator | What the statute allowsNot covered by the offense |
| The glassRear window | What the statute allowsNot covered, if the vehicle has an outside mirror on each side showing the highway for at least 200 feet behind |
Within three percent. The department may treat a front side window as meeting the standard if its light transmission or reflectance varies by no more than three percent from it.
A medical defense. It is a defense to prosecution that the defendant or a passenger is required for a medical reason to be shielded from direct rays of the sun.
Not covered. Factory-tinted windows meeting federal standards, vehicles not registered in Texas, and commercial motor vehicles, among others the section lists.
Installers. A business that tints a window without installing the required label commits a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $1,000.
Multipurpose vehicles, law enforcement vehicles and selling a car with noncompliant windows are not all on this page. Whether a particular film passes, and how a reading was taken, are questions for a licensed Texas attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Transp. Code 547.613 — Restrictions on windows
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Texas attorney.