North Dakota tint rules at a glance
- Front side windows
- 35%
- Minimum VLT, film and glass together
- Back side windows
- Any
- Any darkness allowed
- Rear window
- Any
- Any darkness allowed
- Windshield
- Film anywhere on the windshield if combined VLT stays at or above 70%; a nonreflective strip above the AS-1 line or in the top 5 inches has no VLT limit.
- Reflectivity
- No reflectance limit for windows; only the windshield top strip must be nonreflective.
- Medical exemption
- No
- Sticker or certificate
- Not required
- Two outside mirrors
- Required when the rear window is tinted
- Penalty
- Equipment violation under N.D.C.C. ch. 39-21, a noncriminal offense with a scheduled fee (§§39-21-46, 39-06.1-06); the tint section sets no penalty of its own.
VLT is the share of light the glass lets through, film and glass together. Source: N.D.C.C. §39-21-39(4)-(5), checked Nov 5, 2026. Laws change; confirm with the statute before tinting.
North Dakota regulates window tint through N.D.C.C. §39-21-39(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 North Dakota
- Front side windows: at least 35% VLT.
- Back side windows: any darkness.
- Rear window: any darkness.
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
Film anywhere on the windshield if combined VLT stays at or above 70%; a nonreflective strip above the AS-1 line or in the top 5 inches has no VLT limit.
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 reflectance limit for windows; only the windshield top strip must be nonreflective. No film colors are singled out.
Medical exemptions
North Dakota does not provide a medical exemption from its tint limits.
Stickers, mirrors and enforcement
No sticker or certificate is required for legal tint. If the rear window is tinted, the car must have outside mirrors on both sides. Equipment violation under N.D.C.C. ch. 39-21, a noncriminal offense with a scheduled fee (§§39-21-46, 39-06.1-06); the tint section sets no penalty of its own.
In practice
HB 1340 (2025) lowered the limit for windows other than the windshield from 50% to 35%, in force since Aug 1, 2025, and the current Century Code text reflects it. Windows behind the driver are exempt from any limit when the vehicle has outside mirrors on both sides, so rear side and rear windows may be any darkness on cars as well as SUVs. North Dakota and Ohio are the only states that permit film across the whole windshield at 70%. A 2025-26 initiated measure to remove all tint limits failed to collect enough signatures by Feb 24, 2026.
Sources
Checked Nov 5, 2026. Laws change; confirm with the statute before tinting.
Common questions about tint in North Dakota
Is 35% tint legal on front windows in North Dakota?
Yes. 35% is the darkest North Dakota allows on front side windows: the glass and film together must let at least 35% of visible light through. Anything darker fails a meter check.
Can I tint my windshield in North Dakota?
Film anywhere on the windshield if combined VLT stays at or above 70%; a nonreflective strip above the AS-1 line or in the top 5 inches has no VLT limit. Film below that line is not permitted for ordinary drivers.
Does North Dakota allow darker tint for medical reasons?
No. North Dakota's statute does not provide a medical exemption from its tint limits.
What happens if my tint is too dark in North Dakota?
Equipment violation under N.D.C.C. ch. 39-21, a noncriminal offense with a scheduled fee (§§39-21-46, 39-06.1-06); the tint section sets no penalty of its own.
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