Nebraska window tint law sets a minimum of 35% light transmission on front side windows, 20% on rear side windows and the back glass, and requires the windshield below the AS-1 line to stay clear. Reflectance on side windows cannot exceed 35%. Driving with illegal tint is a Class V misdemeanor and can cost you up to $100 per citation.
How Dark Your Windows Can Legally Be
The rules live in Revised Statute 60-6,257 and apply to any motor vehicle required to be registered in Nebraska and driven on a highway.1Justia Law. Nebraska Code 60-6,257 – Windshield and Windows; Tinting; Sunscreening; Prohibited Acts; Terms, Defined
- Front side windows: at least 35% light transmission, no more than 35% reflectance.
- Rear side windows and back windshield: at least 20% light transmission, no more than 35% reflectance.
- Windshield: no sunscreening material below the AS-1 line. Above that line, tint is allowed but cannot be red, yellow, or amber.
The AS-1 line is the mark stamped into the windshield glass (look for the letters “AS-1”), or a point five inches down from the top of the windshield, whichever sits closer to the top. That gives most vehicles a narrow strip at the top where a tint visor is legal.
“Light transmission” refers to the share of total light that makes it through the glass and film together, so a 35% VLT film on the front side windows is the legal floor. Anything darker fails.
SUVs, Vans, and Buses Get a Different Rule
On multipurpose vehicles, vans, and buses, the rear side windows and back windshield are exempt from the 20% minimum. You can run full privacy tint on the rear glass of an SUV or van with no VLT floor at all. The front side windows and windshield still follow the same rules as a sedan.1Justia Law. Nebraska Code 60-6,257 – Windshield and Windows; Tinting; Sunscreening; Prohibited Acts; Terms, Defined
A “multipurpose vehicle” under the statute is one designed to carry ten or fewer passengers that is built on a truck chassis or set up for occasional off-road use. Most SUVs and crossovers qualify. A standard four-door sedan does not, so the 20% rear minimum stays in force for sedan drivers who assume they can go darker in back.
Color Restrictions on the Windshield Strip
Red, yellow, and amber films are prohibited on the windshield above the AS-1 line. The statute places this color restriction specifically on the tintable windshield strip rather than on the rest of the vehicle’s windows.
No Medical Exemption
Nebraska does not have a statutory medical exemption for darker tint. No provision in Section 60-6,257 authorizes a waiver based on a physician’s affidavit or any similar process. If you have a condition like lupus or severe photosensitivity, the standard limits still apply to your vehicle. Drivers in this situation often go with the darkest film that still clears the 35% front and 20% rear thresholds, or rely on the SUV and van exemption for the rear glass.
No Sticker or Dual Mirror Requirement
Nebraska does not require manufacturers or installers to certify that window film meets state law, and drivers do not need to attach a compliance sticker to any window. Keeping a receipt or spec sheet from your installer is still useful if an officer questions the darkness during a stop. The statute is also silent on side mirrors, so Nebraska does not condition rear tint on having dual outside mirrors the way some states do.
Penalties if You Get Pulled Over
Illegal tint is a Class V misdemeanor under Section 60-6,258, and both the owner and the operator of the vehicle can be charged.2Justia Law. Nebraska Code 60-6,258 – Windshield and Windows; Violations; Penalty A Class V misdemeanor in Nebraska carries a maximum fine of $100 and no jail time. There is no mandatory minimum, so a judge can impose anything from nothing up to the full $100.3Nebraska Legislature. Nebraska Code 28-106 – Classification of Misdemeanors; Penalties
Officers usually measure tint darkness with a handheld meter at the roadside. A failed reading typically results in a fix-it citation. Each stop with the same illegal film is a separate violation, so a driver who ignores the first ticket can collect several, and a visible pattern of noncompliance tends to draw more attention from law enforcement.
Out-of-State Vehicles Passing Through
Section 60-6,257 applies to vehicles “required to be registered in this state.” On the plain language of that provision, a vehicle registered elsewhere and passing through Nebraska is not covered by the specific VLT percentages. A separate rule in subsection (1)(a) prohibits driving any vehicle with tint so dark that the driver’s view is reduced or the ability to see into the vehicle is “substantially impaired,” and that general visibility requirement has no registration limitation.1Justia Law. Nebraska Code 60-6,257 – Windshield and Windows; Tinting; Sunscreening; Prohibited Acts; Terms, Defined
Practically, an officer can still pull over an out-of-state car with very dark tint, and whether a citation holds up depends on which provision is cited. If you commute through Nebraska regularly, keeping at least the front side windows within the 35% limit avoids the question.