Missouri Tint Laws
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Missouri Tint Laws
The state of Missouri first enacted vehicle window tint rules in the year 2002 and the same laws passed then are still in place and largely unchanged. But as the auto window film market has developed and changed in myriad ways since then, it’s important that you take care to use window tints that are still within the purview of Missouri tint laws given that many window film products now in use were not even available some two decades back.
The latest car window tint advancements include products like nanoceramic window film, a nonmetallic window tint wherein hundreds of thousands of microscopic ceramic bits are infused into thin but amazingly strong sheets of film. Nanoceramic window film can block up to 50% (or more with some products) of the sun’s hot infrared light, keeping a car cooler and more comfortable, and this and other window tints can reject more than 99% of the sun’s damaging UV light, stopping interior fading and cracking and thus preserving your car’s value and also protecting your eyes and skin from sun damage.
Car window tint also stops the harsh glare of sunlight from making driving less safe, thus protecting you and your passengers and your fellow motorists. And then of course there is the privacy and style window tint can add to your car. Despite all the many benefits of car window tinting, it is the darkness of the tint that authorities tend to focus on, with darkness being rated by the visible light transmission, or VLT, percentage of the tint. Thus we will break down Missouri VLT restrictions in detail so you can make sure your auto window tint is legal in the state and be sure you are enjoying all the benefits of auto window tint without risking a window tint ticket in Missouri, a violation that can cost $75 per infraction.
Visible light transmission simply refers to the amount of light a tinted window lets pass through, and the higher the number, the less tint is present and the more transparent the window. A 100% VLT pane of glass is fully transparent, therefore, while 50% VLT blocks half of the sun’s visible light. The lower the VLT, the harder it is to see through the window and the more privacy the tint adds.
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
laws for suvs, trucks, & vans
Front Windows
All Vehicles
35% 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 from the AS1 Line up. This is the line extending from the letters AS-1, found on most motor vehicle windshields, running parallel to the top of the windshield.
laws for sedans & coupes
Front Windows
ALL VEHICLE TYPES
Includes Trucks, SUVs, Vans, Sedans, Coupes, & Hatchbacks
35% Tint (VLT%)
Rear Passenger Windows
for Sedans, Coupes, & Hatchbacks
Any shade of tint can be used on the rear passenger windows
Rear Window
for Sedans, Coupes, & Hatchbacks
Any shade can be used for the rear window
Windshield Visor
ALL VEHICLE TYPES
Any shade of tint can be used from the AS1 Line up. This is the line extending from the letters AS-1, found on most motor vehicle windshields, running parallel to the top of the windshield.
% 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.
Missouri State Highway Patrol: Window Tinting – What’s Legal
Missouri Vehicle Statutes Chapter 307 Section 173: Sun-screening
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.