Arkansas Tint Laws: Limits, Medical Exemption, and Penalties

Arkansas tint laws, set by Arkansas Code § 27-37-306, require front side windows on every vehicle to let in at least 25% of visible light, allow rear windows to go as dark as 10%, and restrict windshield tint to a five-inch strip across the top. Breaking the rules is a Class B misdemeanor, which can carry a fine of up to $1,000, and officers can measure your windows on the spot with a handheld meter. The limits apply to all 1994 and later model vehicles.

Legal Tint Limits by Window

Visible light transmission, or VLT, is the percentage of outside light that passes through the glass and film together. A lower number means darker tint. Arkansas sets different minimums depending on the window and the type of vehicle.

Sedans and Passenger Cars

Windshield: Tint allowed only as a strip along the top, extending no more than five inches down from the top center.
Front side windows: At least 25% VLT.
Rear side windows: At least 25% VLT.
Rear window: At least 10% VLT.

The rear window allowance surprises people. Many drivers assume everything behind the windshield shares the same 25% limit, but the statute treats the rearmost glass separately and lets it go significantly darker.¹

SUVs, Trucks, Vans, and Multi-Purpose Vehicles

Windshield: Same five-inch strip rule as sedans.
Front side windows: At least 25% VLT.
Rear side windows: As dark as 10% VLT.
Rear window: At least 10% VLT.

The difference is the rear side windows. On trucks, buses, motor homes, trailers, and multi-purpose passenger vehicles, the side glass behind the driver can drop to 10% VLT, while the same windows on a sedan have to stay at 25%.¹

Reflectivity and Color

Arkansas prohibits film with a metallic or mirrored appearance. The statute does not set a numerical reflectivity cap the way it does for light transmission. The practical standard: if the tint looks mirrored or throws glare at other drivers, it will draw a citation.

Certain colors are off-limits on any window regardless of VLT. Red, amber, and any shade that mimics emergency or signal lighting are not allowed. Neutral films, charcoal, gray, or black, are safe.

The Installer Label You Have to Keep

Every vehicle with aftermarket tint in Arkansas has to carry a label from the shop that did the work. It goes on the windshield on the driver’s side and must list the installer’s company name and phone number, along with a statement that the tint on the vehicle meets legal requirements.¹

That sticker is your first line of defense at a traffic stop. It tells the officer a professional installer certified the film as compliant. Without it, you may be cited even if your tint actually meets the VLT limits. Before you pay an installer, confirm they will put the label on.

Medical Exemption for Darker Tint

If you have a condition that causes extreme light sensitivity, such as lupus, albinism, or another disorder your doctor considers serious, Arkansas lets you go darker than the standard limits. The process is simple: your physician writes a certification stating that darker tint is in your best medical interest, and you keep that certification in the vehicle.¹

No state application is required. You do not need approval from the Department of Finance and Administration or the Arkansas State Police. The physician’s certification is the authorization. With a valid medical exemption, the limits shift:

Windshield: At least 50% VLT across the full windshield, rather than only a five-inch strip.
Side windows: At least 20% VLT, rather than 25%.
Rear window: Stays at 10% VLT minimum.

A vehicle using the medical exemption still needs an installer label on the windshield, and the label has to confirm the tint complies with the exemption provisions.¹

Penalties and How Officers Check

Violating the Arkansas tint law is a Class B misdemeanor. That applies to the driver operating a vehicle with illegal tint and to the installer who put the film on.¹ Under Arkansas’s general sentencing structure, a Class B misdemeanor can carry a fine of up to $1,000. Courts routinely order the owner to remove or replace the illegal film in addition to the fine.

Officers use handheld tint meters during traffic stops. The reading is immediate, so there is no argument over whether your tint passes. One thing to know before you install anything close to the legal minimum: factory glass does not start at 100% VLT. It already blocks some light. If you add aftermarket film right at the limit, the combined reading can land below the threshold. A reputable installer picks a film shade that accounts for that.

1
Justia Law. Arkansas Code 27-37-306 – Light Transmission Levels for After-Market Tinting Material