Utah window tint laws require your windshield to let through at least 70% of visible light and your front side windows at least 35%, while rear windows can be as dark as you want. Mirrored or metallic film is banned on every piece of glass. A violation is an infraction, meaning a fine but no jail and no license suspension. The full rules sit in Utah Code 41-6a-1635.1Utah Legislature. Utah Code 41-6a-1635 – Windshields and Windows — Tinting — Obstructions Reducing Visibility — Wipers — Prohibitions
Windshield: 70% Minimum
The main surface of the windshield must transmit at least 70% of visible light.1Utah Legislature. Utah Code 41-6a-1635 – Windshields and Windows — Tinting — Obstructions Reducing Visibility — Wipers — Prohibitions Many factory windshields already sit near that number, so even a light aftermarket film can push the glass out of compliance. Officers verify with a handheld tint meter, and the statute builds in no grace zone on the windshield itself.
Two small areas of the windshield can carry nontransparent material. A strip along the top is allowed as long as it extends no more than four inches down from the top or past the manufacturer’s AS-1 line, whichever is lower.1Utah Legislature. Utah Code 41-6a-1635 – Windshields and Windows — Tinting — Obstructions Reducing Visibility — Wipers — Prohibitions A sticker or decal is allowed in the lower left corner, capped at three inches from the left edge and four inches from the bottom.2Legal Information Institute (LII). Utah Admin Code R714-160-15 – Vehicle Windows Everywhere else on the windshield, the 70% rule applies.
Front Side Windows: 35% Minimum
Both front side windows, next to the driver and front passenger, must let through at least 35% of visible light. The statute sets that threshold but allows officers a 5% variance when metering, so a reading down to about 30% will not draw a citation.1Utah Legislature. Utah Code 41-6a-1635 – Windshields and Windows — Tinting — Obstructions Reducing Visibility — Wipers — Prohibitions The practical takeaway when picking a film: rated 35% leaves no margin for meter error or the natural darkening that films pick up over time. A slightly lighter film is safer.
Rear Windows: No Darkness Limit
Utah allows nontransparent material on every window behind the driver, including the rear side windows and the back glass.1Utah Legislature. Utah Code 41-6a-1635 – Windshields and Windows — Tinting — Obstructions Reducing Visibility — Wipers — Prohibitions Limo-dark shades and opaque privacy films are legal on any vehicle from that point back. The statute treats sedans, SUVs, and trucks the same way.
No Mirrored or Metallic Film Anywhere
No window on the vehicle may carry material that produces a metallic or mirrored appearance.3Utah Highway Patrol. Window Tint Requirements That ban covers every piece of glass, so a chrome or reflective silver film is illegal on the rear windows even though darkness is unrestricted there.1Utah Legislature. Utah Code 41-6a-1635 – Windshields and Windows — Tinting — Obstructions Reducing Visibility — Wipers — Prohibitions Ceramic and carbon films usually pass because they darken without a reflective sheen. Ask the installer to confirm the finished glass will not look mirrored.
Commercial Vehicles: Federal Rule Overrides
Commercial drivers face a stricter federal standard on top of the Utah rules. Under 49 CFR 393.60, the windshield and both driver-side and passenger-side front windows must all transmit at least 70% of visible light.4eCFR. 49 CFR 393.60 – Glazing in Specified Openings If you hold a CDL or operate a vehicle regulated by the FMCSA, forget Utah’s 35% side-window allowance; you need 70% across all three forward windows.
Is There a Medical Exemption?
No. Utah Code 41-6a-1635 contains no medical exemption provision. The statute’s only carve-outs are the top-edge strip on the windshield, the lower-left decal, rear windows behind the driver, and glass meeting federal manufacturing standards.1Utah Legislature. Utah Code 41-6a-1635 – Windshields and Windows — Tinting — Obstructions Reducing Visibility — Wipers — Prohibitions Drivers with conditions like lupus or porphyria who need dark tint for the front of the vehicle have no state-issued permit route available; the practical options are running the darkest legal film on the windshield and front side windows, going as dark as they want on rear glass, and adding UV-protective clothing or eyewear. Contacting the Utah Highway Patrol is worthwhile if a physician documents a medical necessity.
What a Ticket Costs
A tint violation is an infraction, not a misdemeanor.1Utah Legislature. Utah Code 41-6a-1635 – Windshields and Windows — Tinting — Obstructions Reducing Visibility — Wipers — Prohibitions That means no jail exposure. Utah’s infraction fine ceiling reaches $750 with court surcharges, though a straightforward first-time tint citation usually comes in well below that.5Utah Legislature. Utah Code 76-3-205 – Infraction Conviction — Fine
The statute also blocks a peace officer from asking the Motor Vehicle Division or Driver License Division to suspend or revoke your registration or license based on a tint violation.1Utah Legislature. Utah Code 41-6a-1635 – Windshields and Windows — Tinting — Obstructions Reducing Visibility — Wipers — Prohibitions Your driving privileges are not on the line over tint alone.
Some Utah municipalities run a fix-it citation process for equipment violations, tint included. Where it is offered, you generally get around 20 days to remove or replace the noncompliant film and have an officer verify compliance; if you do, the charge is dismissed. Miss the window and the citation proceeds as a standard infraction. Not every city uses this system, so ask the citing officer or check with the local court.
Insurance and Resale Fallout
Illegal tint can matter after a crash. If your windshield falls below 70% and you are in a collision, another driver’s insurer may raise comparative negligence, arguing the film obscured a hazard. That leverage can reduce what an adjuster pays, even when the tint had nothing to do with what happened.
On resale, out-of-state buyers and dealers will recognize that noncompliant film has to come off before they can register or inspect the vehicle where they live. Professional removal runs about $100 to $200, and that number comes out of any offer.
Quick Reference: Utah Tint Limits by Window
- Windshield: 70% minimum light transmittance across the main glass. Nontransparent strip allowed along the top four inches or AS-1 line, whichever is lower. Small decal allowed in the lower left corner (3 inches wide, 4 inches tall).
- Front side windows: 35% minimum light transmittance, with a 5% officer-metering variance.
- Rear side windows: No minimum. Nontransparent material permitted on any window behind the driver.
- Rear window: No minimum. Same rule as rear side windows.
- All windows: No metallic or mirrored film on any glass, at any darkness level.