Window tint laws in New Jersey draw a sharp line down the middle of your vehicle: no aftermarket tint film on the windshield or the front side windows, but any darkness you want on the rear side windows and the back windshield. The rules come from N.J.S.A. 39:3-74 and the state’s sunscreening regulations, and they apply to every passenger vehicle registered here.1Justia. New Jersey Revised Statutes Section 39-3-74 – Windshields Must Be Unobstructed and Equipped With Cleaners
What Each Window Allows
The easiest way to understand New Jersey’s rules is by window position, because the state treats the front and back of the vehicle differently.
- Windshield. No aftermarket tint film is allowed on the main viewing area. The statute prohibits any non-transparent material on the front windshield other than items required by law, such as a registration sticker. A narrow strip at the very top is the one exception, covered in the next section.1Justia. New Jersey Revised Statutes Section 39-3-74 – Windshields Must Be Unobstructed and Equipped With Cleaners
- Front side windows. The same statute bans non-transparent materials on the driver and front passenger windows entirely. You cannot apply any light-reducing film to them.1Justia. New Jersey Revised Statutes Section 39-3-74 – Windshields Must Be Unobstructed and Equipped With Cleaners
- Rear side windows. Any darkness is permitted. The windows behind the driver and front passenger positions can go as dark as you like.2eCFR. New Jersey Administrative Code Title 13, Chapter 20, Subchapter 33
- Back windshield. Same rule. Any level of tint darkness is legal.2eCFR. New Jersey Administrative Code Title 13, Chapter 20, Subchapter 33
So the back half of the vehicle can be blacked out for privacy or heat. The front half stays clear. This is where drivers coming from Pennsylvania or New York get caught: tint levels that are legal there can draw a stop the moment you cross into New Jersey.
The Windshield Strip and the AS-1 Line
The one place aftermarket tint is allowed on the windshield is a narrow band along the top. New Jersey’s administrative code permits tinted spray or plastic material on the front windshield as long as it extends no lower than six inches from the top, or does not drop below the AS-1 marking stamped into the glass by the manufacturer.2eCFR. New Jersey Administrative Code Title 13, Chapter 20, Subchapter 33 The AS-1 line is a small marking etched near the top edge of most windshields. Look for tiny letters and numbers along the border of the glass.
A related regulation on sunscreening materials confirms the limit. Material applied below the AS-1 line cannot reduce light transmittance below 70 percent in combination with the factory glass. Above the AS-1 line, the film can be darker than that.3Cornell Law Institute. N.J.A.C. 13:20-1.2 – Light Transmittance Standard
Reflective and Mirrored Films
Darkness is only part of the standard. New Jersey also bans window films that create a metallic or mirrored appearance on any window, front or rear. The concern is glare. A highly reflective surface can blind other drivers when sunlight catches it at a low angle.
In practice, your film should not be noticeably more reflective than the glass the manufacturer originally installed. Metallic-finish and mirror-style films are the common offenders. If the film gives the window a chrome or shiny metallic look, it fails regardless of which window it is on.
Medical Exemption for Darker Tint
If you have a medical condition that makes you unusually sensitive to sunlight, New Jersey allows tint on windows that are otherwise off-limits. The Motor Vehicle Commission administers a medical exemption program under N.J.A.C. 13:20-1.5 that covers conditions such as lupus, solar urticaria, and porphyria.4New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. MR-15 Request for Medical Exemption to Apply Vehicle Sun-Screening
With an approved exemption, you can apply sunscreening material to the windshield above the AS-1 line that reduces light transmittance below 70 percent, and to the upper portion of the front side windows to reduce visible light below 35 percent.4New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. MR-15 Request for Medical Exemption to Apply Vehicle Sun-Screening Those limits are significantly more permissive than what non-exempt drivers get.
How to Apply
The process starts with the MR-15 form, available on the MVC website or at a local MVC agency. Your physician fills out a section identifying your diagnosis and explaining why standard glass provides insufficient protection.4New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. MR-15 Request for Medical Exemption to Apply Vehicle Sun-Screening Not every light-sensitivity complaint qualifies. The form lists specific conditions, and the physician must check one that matches.
If the MVC approves, you receive a Medical Exemption for Vehicle Sun-Screening Certificate. The certificate must stay in the vehicle at all times. If you sell the vehicle or transfer your plates, you have to return the certificate to the MVC.4New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. MR-15 Request for Medical Exemption to Apply Vehicle Sun-Screening
Renewing the Exemption
The exemption is not permanent. Previously approved applicants must reapply every 48 months.5New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Application for Sunscreening If you let it lapse, the tint itself hasn’t changed but it is no longer legally covered, and without a current certificate to show at a stop, you have no defense to a citation.
Fines for Illegal Tint
The penalties are lower than most people guess. A violation of the windshield obstruction statute carries a maximum fine of $25, assessed under N.J.S.A. 39:3-79.6New Jersey Courts. Fines and Penalties of Common Motor Vehicle Offenses For violations of the sunscreening-specific provisions under N.J.S.A. 39:3-75.2, the fine can reach up to $100, though a judge may dismiss the charge if you can produce a valid medical exemption certificate that was current on the date of the stop.7Justia. New Jersey Revised Statutes Section 39-3-75.3
The dollar amounts are modest. The real cost is cumulative. Each stop adds a record to your driving history, and some drivers end up spending more to have illegal film professionally removed than they originally paid to install it. Removal typically runs $25 to $150 depending on how many windows are involved and whether the film peels cleanly.
Commercial Vehicles
Driving a commercial motor vehicle adds a federal layer. Under 49 CFR 393.60, the windows immediately to the left and right of the driver must transmit at least 70 percent of light.8eCFR. 49 CFR 393.60 – Glazing in Specified Openings FMCSA roadside inspections check glazing compliance, and a tint violation found during an inspection goes on the vehicle’s safety record, which can affect a carrier’s safety rating over time.