Minnesota tint rules at a glance
- Front side windows
- 50%
- Minimum VLT, film and glass together
- Back side windows
- 50%
- Minimum VLT, film and glass together
- Rear window
- 50%
- Minimum VLT, film and glass together
- Windshield
- No film or tint of any kind on the windshield.
- Reflectivity
- Luminous reflectance may not exceed 20% (3-point tolerance) and no window may have a highly reflective or mirrored look.
- Medical exemption
- Yes, with documentation
- Sticker or certificate
- Required
- Two outside mirrors
- Not required
- Penalty
- Petty misdemeanor, fine up to $300 for the driver (Minn. Stat. 169.89); selling or installing noncompliant film is a misdemeanor (169.71 subd. 5).
VLT is the share of light the glass lets through, film and glass together. Source: Minn. Stat. 169.71, subd. 4-5, checked Nov 5, 2026. Laws change; confirm with the statute before tinting.
Minnesota regulates window tint through Minn. Stat. 169.71, subd. 4-5. 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 Minnesota
- Front side windows: at least 50% VLT.
- Back side windows: at least 50% VLT.
- Rear window: at least 50% 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
No film or tint of any kind on 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
Luminous reflectance may not exceed 20% (3-point tolerance) and no window may have a highly reflective or mirrored look. No film colors are singled out.
Medical exemptions
Minnesota allows darker tint with a medical exemption. A prescription or physician/optometrist statement must list the minimum VLT, say if the condition is permanent, and expire within 2 years; it is carried in the car and may name up to two vehicles.
Stickers, mirrors and enforcement
A certificate or sticker identifying legal tint is required. Film applied since Aug 1, 1985 must carry a permanent legible marking of its VLT and reflectance; there is no state-issued sticker. Tinting the rear window does not trigger a second-mirror requirement. Petty misdemeanor, fine up to $300 for the driver (Minn. Stat. 169.89); selling or installing noncompliant film is a misdemeanor (169.71 subd. 5).
In practice
Minnesota's 50% rule covers passenger-car side and rear windows with a 3-point meter tolerance, and the windshield may carry no film at all. Pickups are exempt only on the rear window, vans on all glass behind the driver, and limousines everywhere; ordinary SUVs follow the car rule. Film applied since 1985 must be permanently marked with its VLT and reflectance. A 2026 amendment to the medical exemption applies to prescriptions issued on or after July 1, 2025.
Sources
Checked Nov 5, 2026. Laws change; confirm with the statute before tinting.
Common questions about tint in Minnesota
Is 50% tint legal on front windows in Minnesota?
Yes. 50% is the darkest Minnesota allows on front side windows: the glass and film together must let at least 50% of visible light through. Anything darker fails a meter check.
Can I tint my windshield in Minnesota?
No film or tint of any kind on the windshield. Film below that line is not permitted for ordinary drivers.
Does Minnesota allow darker tint for medical reasons?
Yes, with documentation. A prescription or physician/optometrist statement must list the minimum VLT, say if the condition is permanent, and expire within 2 years; it is carried in the car and may name up to two vehicles.
What happens if my tint is too dark in Minnesota?
Petty misdemeanor, fine up to $300 for the driver (Minn. Stat. 169.89); selling or installing noncompliant film is a misdemeanor (169.71 subd. 5).
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