Maryland Car Tint Laws

Before you have your windows tinted it’s essential that you know the Maryland tint laws, because having the wrong tint on your vehicle can result in a costly ticket from the police and an even costlier bill to remove or replace the illegal tinting. So what should you know about window tint laws in Maryland?

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What Are The Tint Laws in Maryland?

For cars, all side and rear windows must have a visible light transmission (VLT) of at least 35%. In other words, side and rear windows are legally required to allow at least 35% of outside light into the car. When it comes to trucks, SUVs and vans this 35% requirement only applies to the front side windows. There are no VLT restrictions for the rear windshield and the other side windows.

Other than this important difference, Maryland window tint laws are the same for cars, trucks and vans. According to Maryland tint laws:

Only the top 5 inches of a front windshield may be tinted.
A vehicle’s tint may not have a metallic or mirrored appearance.
Each tinted window must have a sticker between the window and the film to identify it as meeting the legal VLT requirement.
Red and amber tinting are not permitted.
You must have dual side mirrors if your rear windshield is tinted.

Vehicle Type	Windshield	Front Sides	Rear Sides	Rear Windshield
Passenger	No Tint Below AS1 Permitted	35% net VLT	35% net VLT	35% net VLT (cannot cover brake light)
Truck, SUV, & Van	No Tint Below AS1 Permitted	35% net VLT	No restriction	No restriction
Limousines	No Tint Below AS1 Permitted	Factory Only	No restriction	No restriction
Commercial Vehicles	No Tint Below AS1 Permitted	70% net VLT	No restriction	No restriction

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What Is VLT?

Visible Light Transmission (VLT) refers to the amount of visible light allowed to pass through a window from its exterior. This means that the lower the percentage of VLT, the less light that is able to transmit through the glass.

How Does Percentage Of Tint Work?

One thing you may not think to consider regarding window tint percentages is the fact that your car windows come tinted straight out of the factory. Your windows already block about 20% of light from entering your vehicle, meaning they have a VLT of 80%.

How Do I Calculate VLT?

You have to account for current VLT when installing aftermarket tint. If you were to put window film with a 35% VLT on your front windows, which by itself would be legal, your windows would still wind up being illegally tinted at around 28% VLT (.80 x .35 = .28), which is obviously under the 35% threshold. The darkest film you can use while staying legal is about 45% VLT.

How Do Other States Compare?

Tint laws vary depending on your vehicle and the state in which it is registered. For example, Virginia’s tint laws require a much higher minimum VLT, while NC tint laws, are very similar to Maryland’s.

Can You Get Fined In Other States?

If your car is registered in Maryland, only Maryland laws apply to your window tint. They can’t even issue you a repair order outside of Maryland if they think your tint doesn’t meet Maryland standards.