Colorado tint rules at a glance
- Front side windows
- 27%
- Minimum VLT, film and glass together
- Back side windows
- 27%
- Minimum VLT, film and glass together
- Rear window
- 27%
- Minimum VLT, film and glass together
- Windshield
- The windshield itself must pass 70%; a non-reflective strip that is not red or amber may cover the top 4 inches.
- Reflectivity
- No material with a metallic or mirrored appearance on any window.
- Film colors not allowed
- red or amber on the windshield strip
- Medical exemption
- No
- Sticker or certificate
- Not required
- Two outside mirrors
- Not required
- Penalty
- Class B traffic infraction, $50 fine plus $16 surcharge and no points (C.R.S. 42-4-1701); the installer commits a class A infraction.
VLT is the share of light the glass lets through, film and glass together. Source: C.R.S. § 42-4-227, checked Nov 5, 2026. Laws change; confirm with the statute before tinting.
Colorado regulates window tint through C.R.S. § 42-4-227. 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.
Legal tint limits in Colorado
- Front side windows: at least 27% VLT.
- Back side windows: at least 27% VLT.
- Rear window: at least 27% 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
The windshield itself must pass 70%; a non-reflective strip that is not red or amber may cover the top 4 inches.
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
No material with a metallic or mirrored appearance on any window. Film colors not permitted: red or amber on the windshield strip.
Medical exemptions
Colorado does not provide a medical exemption from its tint limits.
Stickers, mirrors and enforcement
No sticker or certificate is required for legal tint. Tinting the rear window does not trigger a second-mirror requirement. Class B traffic infraction, $50 fine plus $16 surcharge and no points (C.R.S. 42-4-1701); the installer commits a class A infraction.
In practice
Colorado's 27% applies to every window except the windshield, but windows behind the driver may go darker than 27% when the windshield and both front side windows each pass at least 70%, so a car with untinted front glass can run any rear tint while a car with 27% fronts cannot. There is no SUV carve-out and no medical exemption in the statute. The installer is liable as well as the driver, at a higher infraction class. A ticket carries no license points.
Sources
Checked Nov 5, 2026. Laws change; confirm with the statute before tinting.
Common questions about tint in Colorado
Is 27% tint legal on front windows in Colorado?
Yes. 27% is the darkest Colorado allows on front side windows: the glass and film together must let at least 27% of visible light through. Anything darker fails a meter check.
Can I tint my windshield in Colorado?
The windshield itself must pass 70%; a non-reflective strip that is not red or amber may cover the top 4 inches. Film below that line is not permitted for ordinary drivers.
Does Colorado allow darker tint for medical reasons?
No. Colorado's statute does not provide a medical exemption from its tint limits.
What happens if my tint is too dark in Colorado?
Class B traffic infraction, $50 fine plus $16 surcharge and no points (C.R.S. 42-4-1701); the installer commits a class A infraction.
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