Vermont window tint laws prohibit aftermarket tint on front side windows and the windshield below the manufacturer AS-1 line. Back side windows and the rear window may carry any darkness of tint with no percentage limit. Vermont requires dual outside mirrors when rear windows are tinted. Starting July 1, 2026, illegal front tint becomes a fail criterion at inspection instead of an advisory, under Vermont Statutes Title 23, Section 1125.
What Vermont Law Says About Window Tint
Vermont Statutes Title 23, Section 1125 governs window and windshield obstruction for vehicles registered in the state. The law generally prohibits painting, adhering, or hanging material over the windshield, vent windows, or the side windows located immediately left and right of the driver. This prohibition applies whether the material is tint film, a sticker, or an object that materially blocks the driver’s view of the road.
The statute does not set a visible light transmission percentage for the front windshield or front side windows. Instead it applies a flat prohibition, meaning no aftermarket tint film is permitted there unless a narrow exception applies. This differs from many neighboring states that allow a specific VLT percentage on front windows. Readers should not assume a 70% VLT allowance applies in Vermont.
The AS-1 Line and Windshield Rule
The AS-1 line is a mark placed by the vehicle manufacturer near the top of the windshield glass. Vermont law generally allows non-reflective tint only above that line, consistent with the statute’s narrow exceptions for small marked spaces on the windshield. Below the AS-1 line, the same prohibition that applies to front side windows also applies to the windshield glass itself.
Back Side and Rear Window Rule
Vermont Statutes Title 23, Section 1125 treats the rear side windows and the back window differently from the front of the vehicle. These windows may be obstructed, including with any darkness of tint film, because the statute conditions this on only one requirement. A vehicle with tinted rear windows must have a securely attached mirror on each outside door giving a clear rear and side view.
Who Vermont Tint Law Applies To
The obstruction statute applies to any person who operates a motor vehicle on Vermont roads, regardless of where the vehicle was purchased or previously registered. A vehicle brought into Vermont with front window tint that would be legal elsewhere is still subject to Section 1125 once it operates on Vermont roads. The law focuses on where the vehicle operates, not on where the tint film was sold or installed.
Requirements for Tinted Rear Windows
A driver who tints the rear side windows or the back window must equip the vehicle with a mirror on each outside door. That mirror must be securely attached and must give the driver a clear view of the road behind and beside the vehicle. This dual mirror requirement exists because tint on rear windows can reduce how useful the interior rearview mirror is for the driver.
Vermont Statutes Title 23, Section 1125 conditions the legality of rear window tint directly on meeting this outside mirror requirement. A vehicle without dual outside mirrors is not in compliance if its rear windows are tinted, even though the darkness of the film itself faces no percentage limit. This structure separates Vermont’s rear window rule from most states that instead use a VLT percentage cutoff for those windows.
Penalties and the 2026 Inspection Change
Historically, Vermont’s periodic vehicle inspection process treated illegal front window tint as an advisory issue. An inspector would note the concern to the vehicle owner without failing the vehicle for it. Effective July 1, 2026, that changed under updates tied to Vermont Statutes Title 23, Section 1125 and the state’s inspection standards, shifting how illegal front tint is treated during the annual safety inspection process.
Illegal front window tint now counts as a fail criterion on the annual safety inspection, meaning a vehicle with prohibited front tint can be rejected at inspection rather than simply flagged. This enforcement change is tied directly to the Vermont DMV Periodic Inspection Manual, which the Department of Motor Vehicles updates to reflect current inspection criteria and administrative penalties for stations and mechanics.
A vehicle owner can also be stopped and cited for illegal tint at any time while driving, separate from the yearly inspection cycle. The inspection process and roadside enforcement both trace back to the same underlying statute, Vermont Statutes Title 23, Section 1125. Neither path depends on the other, so passing inspection in a prior year does not protect a driver from a later roadside citation for tint.
Exceptions and the Medical Exemption
Vermont Statutes Title 23, Section 1125 allows a narrow medical exemption to the front window tint prohibition. A person who needs to be shielded from sunlight for medical reasons may apply to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. The application must include a document signed by a licensed physician or optometrist certifying that shielding from the sun is a medical necessity for that person.
This certification must generally be renewed every four years. A permanent and stable condition previously certified may allow renewal without a new signed form, per the 2025 Vermont Statutes Section 1125 with effective-date note. The exemption is limited to the vent windows and the front side windows immediately left and right of the driver, not the windshield below the AS-1 line.
The exemption terminates automatically when the approved vehicle is sold or transferred, and the seller must remove the tinting at that point under the statute. If the approved film tears, bubbles, or otherwise blocks clear vision, Vermont law requires it to be removed or replaced promptly by the vehicle owner. Application details and certification requirements appear on the Vermont DMV window tint medical exemption form.
Common Misconceptions About Vermont Tint Law
A common misconception is that Vermont allows a specific VLT percentage, such as 70%, on front side windows the way some neighboring states do. Vermont Statutes Title 23, Section 1125 instead applies a flat prohibition on the front side windows and the windshield below the AS-1 line. There is no percentage allowance built into the statute, so any aftermarket front tint is generally not permitted without an exemption.
Another misconception is that the prior inspection advisory meant illegal tint was effectively permitted in Vermont. That was never accurate, since a vehicle with illegal tint could still be stopped and cited on the road even when inspection only issued an advisory note. The July 1, 2026 change closed that gap by making inspection enforce the same rule that roadside stops already applied.
Laws and enforcement may change, and Vermont’s own inspection criteria shifted as recently as July 1, 2026. Readers should check official state sources for the latest standards rather than rely on an older description of Vermont tint enforcement. The current statute is available through the Vermont Statutes Online, Title 23 Section 1125. For more on how Lawwalls presents informational legal content, see the Disclaimer.
Disclaimer
This article is for general informational purposes only. It is not legal advice. Lawwalls publishes informational content only and does not provide legal services or legal advice.
For legal advice about your specific situation contact a licensed attorney in your state. Laws change and vary by jurisdiction. Verify current rules with official government sources or a qualified lawyer.