New York Tint Laws

New York Tint Laws

There are several advantages to driving a vehicle with tinted windows — privacy, security, safety and, of course, visual appeal. Plus, with the option of precut window films to make DIY tinting easy and affordable, it's tough to see the downside to giving your windows a little tint. But whether you're in it for practical sun protection reasons or purely for aesthetics, you have to be careful you're within the law before applying window tint to your car's windows.

In this guide, we'll discuss everything you need to know about window tint, what's legal in their state, exceptions to New York window tint laws and how you can get the maximum tint while abiding by the law of the land.

Types of Window Tint

Knowing the ins and outs of window tint will help you figure out exactly what state laws allow and what they ban. Here are some helpful definitions for interpreting window tint laws:

  • VLT: Visible Light Transmission (VLT) refers to the percentage of visible light allowed through a car's windows. A tinted window with a lower VLT allows less light to pass through it than a window with a higher VLT.
  • No tint: A regular vehicle window without any tint consists of clear glass factory windows with 100% VLT. These tint-less windows grant full visibility but can lead to distracting glares while driving or interior damage to the car from too much exposure to UV rays.
  • 50% VLT: Applying a 50% tint to the windows of a car protects it from only half of the UV rays that will hit it. But a 50% tint will boost a driver's visibility by cutting down on glare and reducing the negative effects caused by UV rays.
  • 35% VLT: A 35% tint will give a vehicle a darker appearance, but people passing by will still be able to see through the windows fairly easily.
  • 20% VLT: Car windows with a 20% tint are more difficult to look through from the outside, but people would still be able to see through the glass if they got close enough.
  • 5% VLT: Adding a 5% tint is not legal on most vehicles because a window with a 5% tint is impossible to see through. However, there are some special exceptions to this rule.
  • Reflection: A tinted window can reflect sunlight block heat. The reflective properties of a window tint film depend on the material it's made from — dyed window tint film absorbs light rather than reflects it, while metallized window tint film strongly reflects it.

Is Window Tint Legal in New York?

Each state has different window tint laws, which can make it confusing to know whether or not the type of tint you want to install is legal. Here are some of the most common types of vehicles and the tint laws that are associated with each one:

NY Tint Laws for Passenger Vehicles

Passenger vehicles are any small cars, such as Sedans. These are the guidelines for all passenger vehicles in New York:

  • Windshield: The top six inches of the windshield may use any tint darkness, but the rest is limited to 70% VLT.
  • Front side windows: 70% VLT max.
  • Rear side windows: 70% VLT max.
  • Rear window: Any tint darkness is allowed, as long as the vehicle has dual exterior rearview mirrors.
  • Reflection: No metallic or mirrored appearances.
  • Color: Any color.

NY Tint Laws for Multi-Purpose Vehicles

A multi-purpose vehicle is any larger vehicle, such as an SUV. Here are the window tint rules for a multi-purpose vehicle:

  • Windshield: The top six inches of the windshield may have any tint darkness, but the rest is limited to 70% VLT.
  • Front side windows: 70% VLT max.
  • Rear side windows: 70% VLT max.
  • Rear window: Any tint darkness.
  • Reflection: No metallic or mirrored appearances.
  • Color: Any color.

Exceptions to NY Tint Laws

Before you start customizing your car's windows, double-check with your local DMV or law enforcement authorities to make sure your county doesn't adhere to any special stipulations. After you've made sure your vehicle's tint is within state laws, don't forget to put a sticker signifying your legal tinting between the film and glass of each window you tinted, which is a requirement in New York.

Exceptions to NY Tint Laws

New York tint law comes with some exceptions. There are some types of vehicles that don't need to follow the regulations listed in the legislation because of their unique purposes. 

So, if you ever find yourself behind the wheel of one of these vehicles, you don't have to concern yourself with following tint laws:

  • Ambulance
  • Hearse
  • Bus
  • Church-owned vehicle
  • Limousine

If you don't drive one of those, there's still a chance you could be exempt from NY window tint laws. Some medical conditions and disorders can heighten sensitivity to sunlight and make sun protection from tinted windows a necessity.

These are the conditions and disorders that New York's state officials have decided tint laws don't apply to:

  • Albinism
  • Lupus erythematosus
  • Porphyria
  • Chronic actinic dermatitis
  • Dermatomyositis
  • Xeroderma pigmentosum
  • Highly severe drug photosensitivity
  • Other conditions causing severe photosensitivity that require window sun-screening for medical reasons

Order Your Window Tint Kit From Rvinyl

Browse the wide variety of window tint kits offered by Rvinyl to find one that fits both your vehicle and your home state's laws. Our precut window films make installing your own window tint easy and save you the time and money you would have spent going to an expensive tint shop. If you don't see a kit for the exact make or model you need, create a custom window tint kit from our whole sheets.

At Rvinyl, our kits are easy to DIY and come with a 3-year warranty to cover cracking, peeling and fading, so you don't have to worry about installation or durability. Check out our window films to personalize your ride today.

Order Your Window Tint Kit From Rvinyl

Disclaimer: This information is not provided by legal professionals and is intended only to complement, and not to replace or contradict, any legal advice or information provided by your state or legal professionals. The information covered in this resource does not necessarily reflect those of Rvinyl and/or its affiliates. If you have any questions, please contact your local state authorities and/or an attorney or other legal professional.