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State tint law · · 3-minute read

Window Tint Laws in Arkansas (2026): Legal VLT Limits and Exemptions

What Arkansas allows on each window, the windshield rule, medical exemptions and how roadside checks work, with the statute cited.

By Armor Atlas · Summarized from the statute, linked on this page

Arkansas tint rules at a glance

Front side windows
25%
Minimum VLT, film and glass together
Back side windows
25%
Minimum VLT, film and glass together
Rear window
10%
Minimum VLT, film and glass together
SUVs, trucks and vans
Behind the driver: back side windows 10% VLT or more, rear window 10% VLT or more.
Windshield
A tinted strip extending no more than 5 inches down from the top of the windshield.
Medical exemption
Yes, with documentation
Sticker or certificate
Required
Two outside mirrors
Not required
Penalty
Class B misdemeanor for driving with or installing non-compliant tint (27-37-306(g)); fines run up to $1,000 under Ark. Code 5-4-201.

VLT is the share of light the glass lets through, film and glass together. Source: Ark. Code Ann. § 27-37-306, checked Nov 5, 2026. Laws change; confirm with the statute before tinting.

Arkansas regulates window tint through Ark. Code Ann. § 27-37-306. Below: the minimum visible light transmission (VLT) for each window, the windshield rule, what counts as too reflective, who can get a medical exemption, and how an officer checks a car at the roadside.

  • Front side windows: at least 25% VLT.
  • Back side windows: at least 25% VLT.
  • Rear window: at least 10% VLT.

SUVs, trucks and vans follow a different rule behind the driver: back side windows at least 10% VLT and the rear window at least 10% VLT.

VLT is measured through film and glass together. Factory glass already blocks some light, usually landing between 70% and 80% VLT before any film, so a roll sold as "35%" on a window that started at 75% ends up darker than 35% once installed. Officers meter the finished window, not the box the film came in.

Windshield

A tinted strip extending no more than 5 inches down from the top of the windshield.

Federal standard FMVSS 205 sets the baseline for the glass itself: the windshield and front side windows of a new car must transmit at least 70% of visible light. State law decides what film may be added afterwards, which is why the windshield rule is usually a strip above the AS-1 line rather than a percentage.

Reflective and colored film

Arkansas's statute sets no separate reflectivity limit; the VLT limits above still apply to metallic and mirrored films. No film colors are singled out.

Medical exemptions

Arkansas allows darker tint with a medical exemption. A physician's certification (albinism and lupus are the statute's examples) carried in the vehicle, valid 3 years, allows 20% on side windows, 10% on the rear and 50% on the windshield.

Stickers, mirrors and enforcement

A certificate or sticker identifying legal tint is required. Since Aug 2013 any vehicle with aftermarket tint must carry the installer's label on the glass immediately to the driver's left affirming the tint complies (27-37-306(c)). Tinting the rear window does not trigger a second-mirror requirement. Class B misdemeanor for driving with or installing non-compliant tint (27-37-306(g)); fines run up to $1,000 under Ark. Code 5-4-201.

In practice

Arkansas measures net light transmission of film plus glass. Passenger cars keep 25% on every side window, while trucks, vans, buses, motor homes and multipurpose vehicles may run 10% on the side windows behind the driver; the rear window is 10% for all. Vehicles registered in another state that regulates tint are exempt while in Arkansas. For-hire sedans fall under a separate section (27-37-307), and a seller must disclose or strip medical-waiver tint when the car changes hands.

Sources

Checked Nov 5, 2026. Laws change; confirm with the statute before tinting.

Common questions about tint in Arkansas

Is 25% tint legal on front windows in Arkansas?

Yes. 25% is the darkest Arkansas allows on front side windows: the glass and film together must let at least 25% of visible light through. Anything darker fails a meter check.

Can I tint my windshield in Arkansas?

A tinted strip extending no more than 5 inches down from the top of the windshield. Film below that line is not permitted for ordinary drivers.

Does Arkansas allow darker tint for medical reasons?

Yes, with documentation. A physician's certification (albinism and lupus are the statute's examples) carried in the vehicle, valid 3 years, allows 20% on side windows, 10% on the rear and 50% on the windshield.

What happens if my tint is too dark in Arkansas?

Class B misdemeanor for driving with or installing non-compliant tint (27-37-306(g)); fines run up to $1,000 under Ark. Code 5-4-201.

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