California window tint law
Front side windows must let through at least 70% of visible light. One of the strictest tint states in the country.
The limits, window by window
The 70% figure is the combined reading of glass plus film — but California goes further: under CVC 26708(d) the film itself must transmit at least 88% of light. No ordinary tint film meets that. In practice front side windows cannot be tinted at all, and the 70% number only explains why.
Medical exemption
Yes — a written certification from a physician or optometrist, kept in the vehicle. No DMV permit is issued.
What happens if you are over the limit
Fix-it citation. You get a correction period, then pay a dismissal fee once the film is removed — typically $25, though the citation itself can carry a higher base fine.
The statute: California Vehicle Code §26708
Two things that catch people out
Films are rated alone; the law measures both. A "35% VLT" film placed on factory glass that already transmits 72% reads about 25% at the meter. Installers in strict states will ask what your goal is rather than what film you want, because the film alone does not decide the outcome.
A legal car in one state is not legal in another. Tint rules travel with the registration, not with the driver. If you move from Texas (25%) to California (70%), the same windows become a violation the day you register — and California requires the film itself to transmit 88%, which no normal film does.
Related
Tint is one of three things a state checks. The other two: California inspection rules and California EV registration surcharge.
Electric vehicle? The charging cost figures on our sister site use the same state boundaries.
Statute and limits checked November 2026.