5% window tint
5% window tint lets 5% of visible light through the film. By the statute numbers it meets the front side window limit in 0 of the 50 states and DC and is darker than allowed in 51; on a sedan's back side windows it is legal in 16. One catch: the limit is metered through film and glass together, and on the car a 5% film usually reads about 4 to 4%, so a film that only matches the number can meter under it.
- Looks: Limo tint: close to opaque from outside, and hard to see out of at night.
- Typical use: Rear windows, mostly on SUVs and vans in states that leave windows behind the driver open.
- Darker than allowed on front side windows in 51 jurisdictions, including Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas.
What 5% tint looks like
Limo tint. 5% of visible light passes through; 95% 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 5% tint is legal, state by state
Verdicts compare 5% 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 | Darker than allowed |
| 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 | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| Georgia | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| Hawaii | Darker than allowed | No numeric limit | No numeric limit |
| Idaho | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | 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 | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| Louisiana | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| 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 | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| Nebraska | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| 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 | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| 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 | Darker than allowed | Darker than allowed |
| 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 5% tint legal?
It depends on the state and the window. By the statute numbers, 5% meets the front side window limit in 0 of the 50 states and DC and is darker than allowed in 51. On back side windows of a sedan it is legal in 16; many states also exempt SUVs and vans behind the driver. The table on this page lists every state.
What does 5% tint mean?
The film lets 5% 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 5% film usually meters about 4 to 4% on the car.
How dark is 5% tint?
Limo tint: close to opaque from outside, and hard to see out of at night. Rear windows, mostly on SUVs and vans in states that leave windows behind the driver open.
Does 5% 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.