The Nitty Gritty Of The Darkest Window Tint You Can Legally Have In Colorado
Colorado Window Tint Law Summary
In the state of Colorado, window tinting regulations vary by vehicle type and window location. Color and reflective tint is heavily restricted on passenger vehicles. All companies and individuals performing window tinting in Colorado must be registered with the state.
The VLT, or visible light transmission, percentage is decided by the exact shade of tint applied to a window. For instance, Window Film Global’s Armor Hoosier Ink provides a VLT of 8%, while the company’s UltraPro SLNT gives a percentage of 68%. The higher the percentage number, the lighter the tint, so a tint with a VLT of 5% will create a much darker shade than one with a VLT of 40%. The lower the VLT, the more heat and glare that is blocked .
For passenger cars, vans, SUVs and trucks, the darkest legal window tint in Colorado is 27 percent VLT for the front window, 27 percent VLT for the back window and 27 percent VLT for the rear window. For command vehicles, buses, multipurpose vehicles and trucks, the tint on the front windshield must have a 70 percent VLT, while the front side windows must have a VLT of 27 percent, the rear side windows must have a VLT of 17 percent and the back window must also have a VLT of 13 percent.
Since SUV and mini-van windshields are not required by law to have any tint, it is legal to have a black strip at the top, or "eyebrow" on the window as long as the strip starts no lower than the manufacturer’s dot-matrix line. The strip must also end at least 4 inches above the AS-1 line or the manufacturer’s tint line and must have a VLT of 27 percent or higher.
Permitted Legal Tint Darkness
To clarify things a bit further, the law in Colorado for legal tint darkness levels is very straightforward. In Colorado, the window tint darkness percentages are as follows: The VLT (Visible Light Transmission) percentage basically sets the percentage of light or visibility coming through the window of a vehicle. To elaborate a little bit more, the VLT percentage means how much sunlight or visible light comes into a particular vehicle. For instance, the lower the VLT percentage means that the tint on your windows lets less sunlight or visible light into the vehicle. Likewise, the higher the VLT percentage means that the tint on your windows allows more sunlight or visible light in the vehicle. When professionals apply the window tint, they will usually have the VLT percentages on the product labels and their equipment so that the window tint professionals will know what the legal window tint darkness levels are for tint application in Colorado.
Illegal Tint Penalties
Violating window tint laws may have more severe consequences than you think. First of all, the vehicle will not pass an inspection. When you take your vehicle to the inspection station, the tint will be measured. Discouraged from passing the vehicle, the inspector will give the driver the failure notice and the next inspection date. In Colorado, the tint must be checked on every inspection. Getting past one inspection on another tint is not likely to happen. That means that the next time the inspection is due the vehicle will be inspected again and the tint will be again measured. This process will continue on every inspection until the window tint is removed and the vehicle passes inspection. The fine for tint measured as darker than what the law allows is $50 in Colorado.
The inspector is required to give the vehicle owner a choice if the equipment is operating improperly but the tint is legal. The inspector will either pass the vehicle or issue a notice with a later inspection date. This will apply only to tint that complies with the law.
When a vehicle owner or operator uses aftermarket tint they are warned of the repercussions. They are not stopped for leaving the tint on their windows. They are warned that they need to remove the tint, or they will not pass the next inspection and could face fines of up to $15. The officer may ask the vehicle owner/operator to sign a waiver that acknowledges that they were given the option of being cited by a police officer and were instead allowed to remove the tint. If the vehicle owner/operator refuses to remove the tint they may still be issued the citation to appear in court. The statute enables law enforcement agencies to issue a waiver where the violator can remove the tint and avoid prosecution. This waiver is discretionary and up to the officer, but it allows even out of state officers to pursue prosecution in Colorado courts.
Exceptions and Special Treatments
While the legal tint for most windows on a passenger vehicle in Colorado is 27% VLT, there are some exemptions to these tinting laws. The Colorado Tint Law has a medical exemption for anyone who has a medical condition and can prove it through a doctor’s certificate from an optometrist or physician. The medical exemption certificate must state that you have a medical condition that requires you to have window tinting of any reduction of light transmittance. Naturally, it is the driver’s responsibility to make sure that this certificate is up to date and with him or her at all times while behind the wheel.
There are also some exemptions for certain types of vehicles. If you drive a passenger van that was manufactured before 1/1/87, you are fine to drive with whatever tint you want on side and rear windows . The same is true of any buses, MPVs or trucks that were manufactured before 9/1/99. If you have a bus that was manufactured between 1/1/87 and 9/1/99 you are fine with any tint on the windows behind the driver. If you have a taxicab, sedan delivery vehicle, hearse or limousine and it was manufactured between 1/1/87 and 1/1/92 you are fine with any tint on the windows behind the drivers. However, after this date, the side windows have to be 27% VLT. For any other stretch limousine, the side windows must be 27% VLT unless the window is tinted by the manufacturer for medical, religious or aesthetic reasons (and passes inspection by an approved official). Only the rear window can be tinted at night.
Selecting the Right Tint Darkness Levels
When selecting window tint for your vehicle, it is important to find a balance between aesthetic appeal and legal compliance. In Colorado, the darkest legal tint is a window film that allows at least 27% of light in and blocks 70% of UV rays. This, however, may not be sufficient for those who live in a warm and sunny environment.
Window tints with a higher light transmittance percentage may offer more comfort and greater UV protection while remaining within the legal limit. VLT refers to the percentage of visible light that passes through your tinted windows. While the legal limit in Colorado is 27%, window film typically comes in a 5%, 15%, 20%, or 35% tint percentage. When applying tint to your windows, it is important to consider how dark you want your windows to be and shop accordingly.
In addition to the tint percentage, many window tints feature an ultraviolet protectant that provides additional skin and eye protection, resulting in fewer long-term health effects. Tints that filter UV rays are changing, and some now protect against infrared (IR) and heat. These tints deflect the sun’s rays, keep your car cool, and reduce your need for air conditioning. The more light transmitted through the tint, the more difficult it becomes to filter IR and heat from the sun.
Overall, as you shop for the legal window tint for your vehicle, consider both tint percentage and the benefits of filtering UV and IR rays. By selecting a tint that falls within the legal range while also filtering IR and UV rays, you can enjoy your vehicle’s cooler interior and avoid much of the chair-time you would normally spend at a dermatologist.
Common Questions About Tint Law
Some of the most common questions we hear are about how dark tint can get. To help you out, here are a few of the most frequent questions and answers:
Q: Can I get a prescription for darker tint in Colorado?
A: No. While you can get permission to use darker medical devices, prescription window tint is not an option.
Q: I have a unique car. Will anyone try to stop me for dark tint?
A: Yes. If a law enforcement officer thinks your tint is too dark, they can pull you over to perform a visual test , which consists of putting a device on your window that can determine the percentage of visible light from the outside.
Q: Can I tint the windshield on my car?
A: Only if you get a sticker that shows your tint complies with the rules and the tint does not extend beyond the top four inches.
Q: Can I tint the headlights on my car?
A: No. All window tint must allow for adequate visibility and any modification to the vehicle or lights to go against the tint law.
Q: Should I worry about being pulled over?
A: Not if you’re following the law outlined above. However, if you don’t want to take the risk, going for a darker tint level might be a safer option. You could also consider an aftermarket tint that is visible to the naked eye, which would still comply with regulations while cutting down on UV damage.