California Window Tint Laws, Window by Window
California's tint rules live in the Vehicle Code, not in a DMV brochure — and they treat every window differently. Below is what the statute actually says, in plain English, with the section numbers so you can check it yourself.
Last updated , reviewed against the official California Legislative Information text of the sections cited below. Laws change; this is general information, not legal advice.
Front glass is restricted. Rear glass generally isn't.
California Vehicle Code 26708 bans materials that obstruct the driver's view through the windshield and front side windows, then carves out specific, narrow exceptions.
| Window | What the law allows | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield (main viewing area) | No material may be applied that obstructs or reduces the driver's clear view, apart from the narrow list of exceptions in the statute (mirrors, small stickers in specified corners, toll transponders, dash cameras, and similar). | CVC 26708(a)–(b) |
| Windshield top strip (sun strip) | Transparent material is allowed on the topmost portion of the windshield if its bottom edge sits at least 29 inches above the undepressed driver's seat (measured as the statute describes), it is not red or amber, it carries no opaque lettering, and it does not reflect glare into other drivers' eyes. | CVC 26708(c) |
| Front side windows (driver and front passenger) | California does not authorize darkening film here. Only clear, colorless, transparent material qualifies: it must transmit at least 88% of visible light, the glass with the film applied must still meet FMVSS No. 205 — including a 70% minimum light transmittance and AS-14 abrasion resistance — and it must be made to boost the glass's UVA blocking. | CVC 26708(d) |
| Rear side windows (behind the driver) | The obstruction rule in subdivision (a) does not apply to side windows to the rear of the driver, so darkness there is not restricted by this section. | CVC 26708(b)(4) |
| Rear window | Exempt from the obstruction rule if the vehicle has outside mirrors on both the left and right sides, each positioned to show the driver at least 200 feet of highway behind the vehicle. | CVC 26708(b)(8) |
What the front-window rule really requires.
This is where most confusion starts. Section 26708(d) is not a "70% tint is legal" rule — it is an allowance for clear, colorless, transparent material on the driver and front passenger windows. Three technical conditions apply at once: the material itself must transmit at least 88% of visible light; the finished glass-plus-film assembly must still satisfy Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 205 (49 C.F.R. 571.205), including its 70% minimum light transmittance and AS-14 abrasion resistance; and the material must be designed to improve the glass's ability to block UVA rays.
In practice that means a UV/heat-rejection film that stays visually clear can qualify for the front windows, while any film that visibly darkens them does not. The statute also requires the driver to keep a certificate from the installing company (or the manufacturer, for a self-install) naming the installer and the film manufacturer with their full name and street address.
Section 26708(e) covers a similar clear 88% material on the windshield, side, or rear windows for a person with a certificate signed by a licensed dermatologist stating they should not be exposed to ultraviolet rays.
Removable sun screening devices are a different mechanism entirely. Under 26708(b)(10) plus Section 26708.2, a driver or front-seat passenger with a physician's, surgeon's, or optometrist's letter may use readily removable devices — green, gray, or neutral smoke, at least 35% luminous transmittance, reflectivity no greater than 35% — and those may not be used during darkness.
How this affects your install.
Because the back half of the vehicle isn't restricted the same way, most drivers pick their look from the rear side windows and rear glass, then decide separately what to do up front. A very common combination is a darker shade behind the driver with the front windows left factory-clear or treated with a clear UV-rejecting film.
Shade is measured in VLT — visible light transmittance. A 5% film lets through very little light; a 70% film is nearly clear. You can compare each option side by side on our tint options page, and see what each service covers on the services page.
OA Tints installs the shade you select. Choosing a configuration that complies with current California law — and with any rules that apply to your specific vehicle type — is the vehicle owner's responsibility. If you're unsure, tell us how you use the car and we'll walk through the trade-offs with you.
Common questions.
- Is 20% or 35% tint legal on the front windows in California?
- No. Vehicle Code 26708(d) only permits clear, colorless material with at least 88% visible light transmittance on the front side windows, and the glass with the film applied must still meet the federal 70% minimum. A 20% or 35% film on a front side window does not meet that standard.
- Can I tint my rear windows as dark as I want?
- Section 26708's obstruction rule doesn't apply to side windows behind the driver, and the rear window is exempt when the vehicle has both left and right outside mirrors showing at least 200 feet behind it. Practically, that means dark film on the back half of the car is common — just keep both side mirrors intact and functional.
- How much of the windshield can be tinted?
- Only the topmost portion, and the bottom edge of that material must be at least 29 inches above the undepressed driver's seat, measured five inches in front of the bottom of the backrest with the seat in its rearmost and lowermost position. It also can't be red or amber, can't carry opaque lettering, and can't reflect glare at other drivers.
- Does a medical exemption let me run dark front windows?
- There are two separate paths, and neither is a blanket exemption. Under 26708(b)(10) a driver or front-seat passenger with a signed letter from a licensed physician, surgeon, or optometrist may use removable sun screening devices meeting Section 26708.2 (green, gray, or neutral smoke, at least 35% luminous transmittance, not used after dark). Under 26708(e), clear 88%-transmittance material may be applied with a certificate signed by a licensed dermatologist. Verify the current text before relying on either.
- Do I need paperwork after a tint installation?
- For the clear front-side-window material described in 26708(d), yes — the statute requires the driver to keep a certificate signed by the installing company (or, for owner installs, the film manufacturer) identifying the installer and the film manufacturer by full name and street address.
- What happens if the film bubbles or tears?
- For the clear front-window material covered by 26708(d), the statute says film that tears, bubbles, or is otherwise worn enough to prohibit clear vision must be removed or replaced.
Read the official text.
- California Vehicle Code § 26708 — material on windshield and windows (California Legislative Information)
- California Vehicle Code § 26708.2 — requirements for sun screening devices
- California Vehicle Code § 26708.5 — restrictions on transparent materials applied to windows
- California DMV — general vehicle equipment information