The most-Googled tint question by car owners isn't "what film should I get" — it's "what's legal in my state?" Here's the scannable answer.
Front side window VLT % by state Lower VLT % = darker tint. A state listed at 35% means tint cannot let less than 35% of visible light through.
Strictest (front side ≥ 50% VLT, or no aftermarket allowed) - **New Jersey, Vermont**: NO aftermarket tint on front sides - **California, New York, Pennsylvania**: 70% - **Hawaii, New Hampshire, Iowa, Michigan**: 70%
Mid-range (35-49%) - **Connecticut, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia**: 35% - **Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Wisconsin**: 35-50% - **Maine**: 35% - **Ohio**: 50%
More permissive (25-34%) - **Florida**: 28% - **Georgia**: 32% - **Arizona**: 33% - **Oregon, Idaho**: 35% - **Indiana**: 30%
Most permissive (under 25%) - **Texas**: 25% - **Oklahoma**: 25% - **Mississippi**: 28% - **New Mexico**: 20%
Important caveats - **Multi-purpose vehicles** (SUVs, trucks, vans) often get more permissive limits on rear side windows + back glass - **Medical exemptions** exist in nearly every state — your state DOT can issue a waiver - **Windshield**: most states allow tint above the AS-1 line (a manufacturer-drawn line ~5-6 inches below the top of the windshield) - **Enforcement** varies dramatically by county
Full per-state references with VLT specs + enforcement notes Each state has its own detail page with current limits, windshield rules, hub cities, and market context:
- Texas
- Florida
- California
- New York
- Arizona
- Georgia
- North Carolina
- Pennsylvania
- Illinois
- Ohio
- Browse all 50 states
What we tell customers "Look up the limit for your state on our [/regions](https://www.salesthumb.com/regions) page, then add 5-10% above the minimum to give yourself a safety margin. State enforcement testers' measurements are calibrated within about ±3%, so being right at the legal limit can still get you a ticket."
A note for shops Your shop-management software should warn you at the quote-builder stage if you're quoting below the state's legal minimum. This is a quiet operational risk that bites shops every year — a customer files a complaint after getting pulled over, and the shop is liable for installing illegal film if the records show they sold a 20% VLT film into a 35%-limit state.
SalesThumb's quote builder shows the state limit inline + flags any below-limit selection. It doesn't block you from quoting (medical exemptions exist) but it makes sure the front desk consciously chooses.