Window tint medical exemptions in Colorado
Colorado does not provide one. Checked C.R.S. 42-4-227, the section that carries Colorado's tint rules, and the General Assembly's own compilation of Title 42. The section sets the limits (70 percent through the windshield and 27 percent through the other windows on a Colorado-registered vehicle) and makes a violation a class B traffic infraction under subsection (3)(a), and we found no medical exemption provision in it. Title 42 does define an affirmative defence for traffic infractions generally, but nothing ties that definition to tint, so it is not an exemption route. The one recent attempt to change the section, HB19-1067, was postponed indefinitely 7-0 and concerned out-of-state vehicles rather than medical need.
What applies instead
With no exemption in the statute, the ordinary limits stand: front side windows 27% VLT minimum, back side windows 27% VLT minimum, rear window 27% VLT minimum. A physician's letter does not change them, because there is no provision for an officer to apply.
The practical route for a sun-sensitivity condition is a clear or near-clear ceramic film. The good ones block 99% or more of UV and much of the infrared heat while metering well inside the legal VLT, so you get the protection without the darkness Colorado forbids.
Check a film's VLT against Colorado law →Frequently asked questions
Does Colorado have a window tint medical exemption?
No. Checked C.R.S. 42-4-227, the section that carries Colorado's tint rules, and the General Assembly's own compilation of Title 42. The section sets the limits (70 percent through the windshield and 27 percent through the other windows on a Colorado-registered vehicle) and makes a violation a class B traffic infraction under subsection (3)(a), and we found no medical exemption provision in it. Title 42 does define an affirmative defence for traffic infractions generally, but nothing ties that definition to tint, so it is not an exemption route. The one recent attempt to change the section, HB19-1067, was postponed indefinitely 7-0 and concerned out-of-state vehicles rather than medical need.
Can a doctor's note make darker tint legal in Colorado?
Not on its own. With no exemption in the statute, a physician's letter gives an officer no provision to apply, so the ordinary limits stand: front side windows 27% VLT, back sides 27% VLT, rear 27% VLT.
What can I do about sun sensitivity in Colorado then?
A clear or near-clear ceramic film is the usual route: the good ones block 99% or more of UV and a large share of infrared heat at a VLT that stays inside C.R.S. § 42-4-227. That gets you the protection without the darkness the statute forbids.
Sources
- Colorado Revised Statutes 2024, Title 42 (Office of Legislative Legal Services) (official)
- Colorado crime classification guide - class B traffic infractions (official)
- HB19-1067 Motor Vehicle Window Tint (postponed indefinitely) (official)
Reference only, not legal or medical advice. Forms and fees change — confirm against the official source above before you file, and get the form from the agency rather than a third-party form site.