Vermont window tint laws allow aftermarket film on every window, but the darkness limit depends on which window you are tinting. On the windshield and front side windows, any film must keep visible light transmission at or above the level set by federal motor vehicle safety standard 49 C.F.R. § 571.205, which works out to roughly 70 percent.1Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code Title 23 – Obstructing Windshields and Windows Rear side windows and the back window can be tinted to any darkness, including full limo tint, as long as the vehicle has a working mirror on each side. Drivers with qualifying medical conditions can apply to the DMV for permission to go darker on the front.
Front Windows and Windshield
The front side windows, vent windows, and windshield are the strict zone. Shading or tinting material is permitted on these surfaces only if the film’s visible light transmission is not less than what 49 C.F.R. § 571.205 requires.1Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code Title 23 – Obstructing Windshields and Windows That federal standard, FMVSS 205, generally requires about 70 percent VLT for windshields and front side windows as they leave the factory. VLT is simply the share of outside light that passes through the glass and any film on it; a lower number means a darker window.
The practical trap is that factory glass already blocks some light on its own. Most windshields transmit around 75 to 80 percent before anything is added. A film rated at 90 percent VLT applied to a windshield that transmits 78 percent produces a combined VLT of roughly 70 percent, right at the line. Anything darker risks falling below the federal threshold.
The statute preserves narrow exceptions for inspection stickers in designated corners, rearview mirrors, and electronic toll transponders. None of those count as prohibited obstructions.1Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code Title 23 – Obstructing Windshields and Windows
Rear Windows and the Mirror Requirement
Vermont sets no VLT limit on the rear side windows or the back window. You can go as dark as you want. The one condition: if the rear window or rear side windows are tinted to any degree that obstructs the view through them, the vehicle must have a securely attached mirror on each side giving a clear view of the road behind and to both sides.1Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code Title 23 – Obstructing Windshields and Windows Most vehicles already have dual side mirrors from the factory, so the requirement is easy to overlook until one of them is broken or missing.
Keeping Existing Film Legal
Film that was legal when installed can become a violation as it ages. Any shading or tinting material on the windshield, vent windows, or side windows must be removed or replaced once it tears, bubbles, or wears to the point that it blocks clear vision.2Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 23 – Obstructing Windshields, Windows If you see peeling or bubbling, deal with it before your next inspection.
Medical Exemption for Darker Front Tint
Drivers who need protection from sunlight for a medical reason can ask the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles for an exemption allowing darker tint on the front side windows and vent windows. The exemption does not extend to the windshield, and because rear windows are already unrestricted, its real effect is permission to darken the driver and front passenger windows.2Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 23 – Obstructing Windshields, Windows
Applying
Complete DMV form VN-022, available on the Vermont DMV website.3Department of Motor Vehicles. Window Tint Permit Application A licensed physician or optometrist fills out the medical section, listing the clinical diagnosis, the recommended VLT percentage, and whether the permit should run four years (for temporary conditions) or indefinitely (for permanent, stable conditions). Mail the completed application to Vermont DMV, 120 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05603. If approved, the permit specifies the maximum VLT percentage allowed.4Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles. Window Tint Medical Exemption Form VN-022
Carrying and Renewing the Permit
Keep the physical permit in the primary vehicle listed on the application. If other vehicles are covered, store a copy in each one; law enforcement can ask to see it during a traffic stop.4Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles. Window Tint Medical Exemption Form VN-022 The physician certification needs to be renewed every four years, but if a doctor has already certified the condition as permanent and stable, you can renew the exemption yourself without a fresh medical form.2Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 23 – Obstructing Windshields, Windows
One detail catches sellers off guard: the exemption is tied to the vehicle, not just to you. When you sell or transfer the car, the exemption ends, and the seller must remove the tint before the transfer.2Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 23 – Obstructing Windshields, Windows
Inspections and the July 2026 Enforcement Change
Act 165, signed in 2024, takes effect July 1, 2026, and the biggest practical shift is at the inspection station. A vehicle with tint that does not meet the amended statute will fail the annual safety inspection required under 23 V.S.A. § 1222. The legislature stated that non-compliant tint “poses a danger to the individual operating the motor vehicle, any passengers in the motor vehicle, and other highway users.”5Vermont General Assembly. Tinted Window Provisions Comparison The DMV has been directed to update its Periodic Inspection Manual to specify the VLT level that satisfies the federal standard.6Vermont General Assembly. Act 165 Summary
If your front windows already carry dark aftermarket film from before the change, plan to remove or replace it before your next inspection after July 1, 2026. Police can also stop and cite drivers for a window obstruction violation independently of the inspection cycle.
Factory Privacy Glass
Many SUVs, minivans, and trucks arrive from the factory with dark rear windows, often called privacy glass. That tint is built into the glass itself and is designed to meet federal standards for the windows where it is installed. Because Vermont already allows any darkness on the rear, factory privacy glass is legal and will not create an inspection problem as long as both side mirrors are intact.
Confusion starts when owners try to match that rear look by tinting the front windows to a similar shade. The front rule still applies: combined VLT of glass and film together must meet the federal threshold. Factory front glass typically transmits only 75 to 80 percent of light to begin with, leaving almost no room to go darker.
A Note on Metallic Films
If you are picking film for the rear windows, know that metallic and metalized films can interfere with GPS, cell phone, and radio signals. The metal particles reflect and absorb radio waves, which may not matter in downtown Burlington but can noticeably degrade call quality and data speeds across Vermont’s more rural stretches. Ceramic and carbon-based films reject heat without containing metal and do not cause signal issues.