What a window tint ticket costs in Maryland
No one can honestly quote you a single number, and we are not going to invent one. Maryland fixes the offence — civil violation, with a safety equipment repair order alongside the citation under Md. Transp. Code 22-406; 23-105, with $70 civil penalty, per the 2025 legislative analysis of house bill 436. The total on the citation comes from the fee schedule of the court that issued it, which varies by county.
| What the statute fixes | Maryland |
|---|---|
| Offence | Civil violation, with a safety equipment repair order alongside the citation |
| Amount set by statute | $70 civil penalty, per the 2025 legislative analysis of House Bill 436 |
| Correctable (fix-it) | Yes, ordinarily |
| Licence points | Not verified |
| Statute | Md. Transp. Code 22-406; 23-105 |
Why the figures online disagree
A tint citation's total is a base amount plus court costs and surcharges, and those are set per county by the citing court rather than by the tint statute. That is why three pages about the same state will quote three different numbers, all of them sourced from each other rather than from a schedule. The number that binds you is the one the clerk of the court named on your citation gives you — so that call is the first thing worth making.
What Maryland does settle
Maryland pairs the citation with a safety equipment repair order under section 23-105, so the film has to come off on a clock: the State Police require the repair within 10 days and the certification within 30, with the owner paying. The catch most people miss is that a tint repair must be certified at a licensed inspection station even when the tint has simply been removed — taking it off yourself does not close the order. An older unreported opinion read the statute as carrying no civil penalty and treated it as a misdemeanor up to $500; the $70 figure comes from the more recent legislative analysis, and we cite both rather than pick silently.
Getting it dismissed
- 1
Ring the clerk of the court named on the citation. Ask for the amount, the appearance date, and what they accept as proof of correction.
- 2
Have the film removed or replaced with film that meters legal. Keep the receipt — a business receipt is the usual evidence.
- 3
Get the correction certified by whoever the court requires. For equipment items that normally means a law enforcement officer or a licensed inspection or installation station, not you.
- 4
File the proof before the appearance date, with any transaction fee. Miss that date and a correctable citation can stop being correctable.
The limits you were measured against
Front side windows 35% VLT minimum, back side windows 35% VLT minimum, rear window 35% VLT minimum — metered through the film and the glass together. Factory side glass already blocks some light before any film goes on, which is how film sold as “legal” ends up metering under the limit.
Check what film will meter legal in Maryland →Frequently asked questions
How much is a window tint ticket in Maryland?
There is no single statewide figure, and anyone quoting one is guessing. Maryland fixes the offence — civil violation, with a safety equipment repair order alongside the citation under Md. Transp. Code 22-406; 23-105, with $70 civil penalty, per the 2025 legislative analysis of house bill 436 — and the total you pay is set by the fee schedule of the court that issued the citation, which varies by county and is not published statewide. Call the clerk of the citing court for the figure that applies to you.
Is a tint ticket in Maryland a fix-it ticket?
Ordinarily yes. Remove or replace the film, have the correction certified, and the court dismisses the charge on proof of correction plus the transaction fee. Maryland pairs the citation with a safety equipment repair order under section 23-105, so the film has to come off on a clock: the State Police require the repair within 10 days and the certification within 30, with the owner paying. The catch most people miss is that a tint repair must be certified at a licensed inspection station even when the tint has simply been removed — taking it off yourself does not close the order. An older unreported opinion read the statute as carrying no civil penalty and treated it as a misdemeanor up to $500; the $70 figure comes from the more recent legislative analysis, and we cite both rather than pick silently.
Does a tint ticket put points on your licence in Maryland?
We could not verify whether Maryland assigns licence points for this, so we are not going to guess. The clerk of the citing court can tell you.
What tint got me cited in Maryland?
The limits are front side windows 35% VLT, back side windows 35% VLT, rear window 35% VLT, measured through the film and the glass together — which is why film sold as legal can still meter under.
Can a medical exemption get a Maryland tint ticket dismissed?
Maryland does have a medical exemption, but it is something you hold before the stop, not a defence you assemble afterwards. If you qualify, get it in place so the next stop goes differently.
Sources
- Md. Code, Transportation 22-406 (Maryland General Assembly) (official)
- Maryland State Police - Complying with a Safety Equipment Repair Order (official)
- HB 436 (2025) fiscal and policy note, Maryland DLS (official)
Reference only, not legal advice. We do not publish an estimated ticket total because no statewide schedule exists to support one. For the amount that applies to you, ask the clerk of the court on your citation.