Colorado TInt Laws

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Colorado Tint Laws

With its high elevation and many sunny days, Colorado is a state where car window tint is a must. But if you are going to get window film for a vehicle in Colorado, you must understand Colorado tint laws, because the penalty for illegal window tint in Colorado can be harsh. Window tint laws in Colorado were officially enacted in the year 1995 but have been changed several times over the years and are always subject to change again.

Applying window tint to the windows of a car comes with multiple benefits and is one of the most cost effective improvements you can make to a vehicle. Window film blocks 99% of the sun’s harmful UV light, thus preventing the risk of damage to your skin and also preventing the fading, peeling, and cracking. As a result, it can make a vehicle’s upholstery, dashboard, and other surfaces break down and denigrate the overall value of the automobile.

Tinting a car’s windows also reduces the amount of infrared light that enters the cabin. Specifically keeping the car cooler and more comfortable, saving energy costs by reducing the need for AC. Not to mention protecting the passengers and sensitive equipment against heat damage.

Vehicle window tint also reduces the intensity of the glare of sunshine during the daytime and reduces the effect of headlights during night driving, helping you stay safer and more comfortable while you are behind the wheel.

Please note: The accuracy, completeness, adequacy or currency of the content is not warranted or guaranteed. We are not lawyers or a law firm and we do not provide legal advice. We recommend you consult a lawyer or other appropriate professional if you want legal advice.

CLICK ON INDICATORS TO VIEW TINT LAWS FOR SPECIFIC WINDOWS

suvs, trucks, & vans

Front Windows

All Vehicles

27% Tint (VLT%)

Rear Passenger Windows

Includes rear window and rear passenger

Any shade of tint can be used for trucks, SUVs, and vans ONLY

Rear Window

Includes rear window and rear passenger windows

Any shade of tint can be used for trucks, SUVs, and vans ONLY

Windshield Visor

ALL VEHICLE TYPES

Any shade of tint can be used 4" from the top of the windshield. This is the line extending from the letters AS-1, found on most motor vehicle windshields, running parallel to the top of the windshield.

sedans & coupes

Front Windows

ALL VEHICLE TYPES

Includes Trucks, SUVs, Vans, Sedans, Coupes, & Hatchbacks

27% Tint (VLT%)

Rear Passenger Windows

for Sedans, Coupes, & Hatchbacks

27% Tint (VLT%)

Rear Window

for Sedans, Coupes, & Hatchbacks

27% Tint (VLT%)

Windshield Visor

ALL VEHICLE TYPES

Any shade of tint can be used 4" from the top of the windshield. This is the line extending from the letters AS-1, found on most motor vehicle windshields, running parallel to the top of the windshield.

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% of Tint or Visible light transmission (VLT) is the measurement used to assess the amount of light passing through a piece of glass. This is the percent of visible light that passes through the film and glass to give you a net transmission percentage. The lower the VLT%, the darker the window.

Law Enforcement uses a tint meter which measures the Visible Light Transmittance (VLT) of window film and glass for illegal tint. 

Windshield: Several states allow medical exemptions for drivers or passengers who frequently travel in the vehicle. These exemptions usually require a licensed physician in that state to sign a waiver. Please visit your states .gov site for details. 

AS-1 Line: This is the line extending from the letters AS-1, found on most motor vehicle windshields, running parallel to the top of the windshield.

 

Colorado Revised Statutes section 42-4-227: Windows unobstructed; certain materials prohibited (Section 42-4-227)

U.S. Exemption For VLT

Click above to download the Nationwide Medical Exemptions Window Tinting Directory.

If you’re driving a truck or SUV built in the last decade, chances are it’s equipped with factory tinted glass on all windows behind the front doors.

Many owners of vehicles like this often choose to only have the front windows tinted to match the back because they believe that they are already set with the rear windows.

UV Protection

While this factory tint improves the looks of the vehicle, and offers rear passengers some privacy, it does very little to help reduce the heat entering through the glass or protect them from the sun’s harmful UV rays. 

Heat Rejection

The same also goes for heat rejection. Some assume that the level of heat rejection they will on the front glass is already present in the rear glass because of the factory tint. Nothing can be further from the truth. Other than having the tinted look, these windows do very little to stop the heat.

To find out what options you have to protecting your passengers and vehicles interior, click here.