You do not get points for tinted windows in NY. The state’s driver point system lists tinted-window violations at zero points, placing them alongside other equipment offenses like faulty lights.1Department of Motor Vehicles. The New York State Driver Point System The ticket is a non-moving equipment violation, so it won’t push you toward the 11-point suspension threshold and generally won’t trigger an insurance increase. What it will do is cost you money and, if left uncorrected, fail your next inspection.
What a Tint Ticket Actually Costs
The penalty is financial, not point-based. Fines for a window tint violation can reach $150 per offense, with a mandatory state surcharge added on top of the base fine. Each non-compliant window can be written up as its own violation, so a sedan ticketed for all four side windows can generate a bill several times larger than a single-window stop.
Because the violation carries zero points and doesn’t register as a moving violation, insurers generally don’t raise premiums over it. The exposure is the fine itself, plus the knock-on problem at inspection time.
When Your Tint Is Actually Illegal
New York measures tint by Visible Light Transmission (VLT), the percentage of outside light that passes through the glass. Under Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 375(12-a), every window on the front half of a vehicle must allow at least 70% of light through, and any tint with a metallic or mirror-like finish is banned on any window.2NY DMV. Tinted Windows
For sedans, coupes, hatchbacks, convertibles, and station wagons, the 70% rule applies all the way around: windshield (non-reflective tint only on the top six inches), front side windows, rear side windows, and the rear window. The rear window can go darker only if the vehicle has side mirrors on both sides giving a full, clear view behind the car.2NY DMV. Tinted Windows
SUVs, trucks, and vans follow the same rules for the windshield and front side windows, but the back half of these vehicles is unrestricted. A limo-dark rear window is legal on an SUV and ticketable on a sedan. If you’re wondering whether your tint is even a violation, this is usually where the answer sits.
Getting the Ticket Dismissed
New York has a fix-it statute that applies to most equipment violations, including window tint. Under Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 376-A, the court must dismiss your ticket if you correct the problem in time and provide proof.3New York State Senate. New York Vehicle and Traffic Law 376-A – Defective Equipment
The deadline is tight. You have to fix the violation no later than a half hour after sunset on the first full business day after you receive the ticket. Weekends and major federal holidays don’t count as business days, so a Friday afternoon ticket gives you until Monday evening.
Once the tint is off, you need written proof. The court accepts any of the following:
- A correction statement from an official New York State inspection station, signed by the person who did the work and including the station’s facility number.
- A correction statement on the letterhead of an auto repair shop, signed by the person who did the work.
- A signed statement from a police officer confirming the correction.
- A receipt or other evidence showing you did the repair yourself, with proof of purchase for any materials used.
The statement has to reach the court with jurisdiction by the return date on your summons, be affirmed as true under penalty of perjury, and include the name and position of the person who performed the work, the date of the repair, and confirmation that the equipment now complies.3New York State Senate. New York Vehicle and Traffic Law 376-A – Defective Equipment Miss any requirement and the dismissal won’t go through.
Ignoring It Catches Up at Inspection
Since January 1, 2017, every New York State vehicle inspection includes a window tint check.2NY DMV. Tinted Windows Stations use tint meters, and any window below the 70% threshold where required is an automatic failure. A failed inspection means no valid sticker, and driving with an expired sticker is a separate violation. Even if you never get pulled over for the tint itself, the film has to come off before you can pass inspection and get a new sticker.
Medical Exemption
If you have a medical condition that causes severe sensitivity to sunlight, New York allows darker tint, but only after the DMV approves a formal application. Qualifying conditions include albinism, lupus, porphyria, dermatomyositis, xeroderma pigmentosum, severe drug-induced photosensitivity, and photophobia tied to an ophthalmic or neurological disorder, along with a catch-all for any condition causing severe photosensitivity requiring protection from direct sunlight.4NY DMV. Medical Exemptions – Section: Tinted Windows
The exemption isn’t automatic and it isn’t retroactive to a ticket you’ve already received. You complete page one of Form MV-80W, and a New York State licensed physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner completes the medical statement on page two. The exam date has to be within 60 days of submitting the form, and you include a copy of the provider’s New York State license plus a photocopy of your vehicle registration. The exemption only applies when personal measures like sun-protective clothing, sunscreen, eye protection, or clear UV-filtering film don’t give adequate protection on their own.5NY DMV. Application for Tinted Window Exemption The exemption is tied to a specific vehicle registration, so a new car means a new application.