20% window tint
20% window tint lets 20% of visible light through the film. By the statute numbers it meets the front side window limit in 1 of the 50 states and DC and is darker than allowed in 50; on a sedan's back side windows it is legal in 23. One catch: the limit is metered through film and glass together, and on the car a 20% film usually reads about 14 to 16%, so a film that only matches the number can meter under it.
- Looks: Dark and private, with night visibility noticeably reduced.
- Typical use: Back side and rear windows; very few states allow it on the front.
- Darker than allowed on front side windows in 50 jurisdictions, including Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas.
- Exactly at or just above the front limit in 1 states, where a strict meter on darker factory glass can read under it.
What 20% tint looks like
Dark, private, legal in some states on rear. 20% of visible light passes through; 80% is blocked.
- Heat rejection depends on the film, not the shade: a 70% ceramic film can reject more heat than a 20% dyed film.
- Legal minimums differ by state and by window. Check yours before you pick.
Where 20% tint is legal, state by state
Verdicts compare 20% with each state's statute number for passenger cars (sedans). "Legal" means it clears the limit even metered on darker factory glass (72%). *"Legal, at the limit" means it matches or just clears the number but can meter under it on darker glass, so have the installer meter your windows. Many states exempt SUVs and vans behind the driver, and most states with no limit behind the driver require outside mirrors on both sides; open a state for the statute, exemptions and tolerances.
| State | Front sides | Back sides (sedans) | Rear window (sedans) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| Alaska | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| Arizona | Darker than allowed | No numeric limit | No numeric limit |
| Arkansas | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Legal |
| California | Darker than allowed | No numeric limit | No numeric limit |
| Colorado | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| Connecticut | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | No numeric limit |
| Delaware | Darker than allowed | No numeric limit | No numeric limit |
| District of Columbia | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| Florida | Darker than allowed | Legal, at the limit* | Legal, at the limit* |
| Georgia | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| Hawaii | Darker than allowed | No numeric limit | No numeric limit |
| Idaho | Darker than allowed | Legal, at the limit* | Darker than allowed |
| Illinois | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| Indiana | Darker than allowed | No numeric limit | Darker than allowed |
| Iowa | Darker than allowed | No numeric limit | No numeric limit |
| Kansas | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| Kentucky | Darker than allowed | Legal, at the limit* | Legal, at the limit* |
| Louisiana | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Legal |
| Maine | Darker than allowed | No numeric limit | No numeric limit |
| Maryland | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| Massachusetts | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| Michigan | No film allowed | No numeric limit | No numeric limit |
| Minnesota | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| Mississippi | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| Missouri | Darker than allowed | No numeric limit | No numeric limit |
| Montana | Darker than allowed | Legal | Legal |
| Nebraska | Darker than allowed | Legal, at the limit* | Legal, at the limit* |
| Nevada | Darker than allowed | No numeric limit | No numeric limit |
| New Hampshire | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| New Jersey | No film allowed | No numeric limit | No numeric limit |
| New Mexico | Legal, at the limit* | Legal, at the limit* | Legal, at the limit* |
| New York | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | No numeric limit |
| North Carolina | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| North Dakota | Darker than allowed | No numeric limit | No numeric limit |
| Ohio | Darker than allowed | No numeric limit | No numeric limit |
| Oklahoma | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| Oregon | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| Pennsylvania | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| Rhode Island | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| South Carolina | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| South Dakota | Darker than allowed | Legal, at the limit* | Legal, at the limit* |
| Tennessee | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| Texas | Darker than allowed | No numeric limit | No numeric limit |
| Utah | Darker than allowed | No numeric limit | No numeric limit |
| Vermont | No film allowed | No numeric limit | No numeric limit |
| Virginia | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| Washington | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| West Virginia | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| Wisconsin | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| Wyoming | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
Darkness is not heat rejection
The percentage only describes visible light. Most of the heat that warms a cabin is infrared, which a good ceramic film blocks at any shade. If the goal is a cooler car rather than privacy, a lighter ceramic film can beat a darker dyed one; see ceramic tint and compare published heat figures in the tint film comparer.
Frequently asked questions
Is 20% tint legal?
It depends on the state and the window. By the statute numbers, 20% meets the front side window limit in 1 of the 50 states and DC and is darker than allowed in 50. On back side windows of a sedan it is legal in 23; many states also exempt SUVs and vans behind the driver. The table on this page lists every state.
What does 20% tint mean?
The film lets 20% of visible light through on its own. Officers meter the film and the glass together, and factory side glass already blocks 20 to 28%, so a 20% film usually meters about 14 to 16% on the car.
How dark is 20% tint?
Dark and private, with night visibility noticeably reduced. Back side and rear windows; very few states allow it on the front.
Does 20% tint block more heat than a lighter shade?
Only a little. Darkness is visible light; most of the heat you feel is infrared. A light ceramic film can reject more heat than a dark dyed one, so compare the film's total solar energy rejected (TSER), not the percentage.
Other shades
Window tint laws by state · VLT legality checker · Window tint cost by vehicle · Window tint prices & studios
Reference only, not legal advice. Statutes change and some states allow tolerances or vehicle-type exceptions; confirm on the state page before you install.