Oregon Window Tint Law: Check Both Film and Finished VLT

Oregon’s ordinary side- and rear-window rule requires film that transmits at least 50% of visible light, a finished glass-and-film result of at least 35%, and film reflectance of no more than 13%. Buying film labeled “35%” does not meet that ordinary film requirement—even if someone describes it as Oregon’s legal limit. These are separate tests under ORS 815.221(2).

Reviewed October 9, 2026. General information, not legal advice. Verify current requirements with Oregon DMV before installation.

Limits by window and vehicle

VLT means visible light transmittance: a higher percentage lets more light through. “Finished VLT” below means the window with film installed, not the film’s package rating.

Window	Ordinary passenger car	Qualifying multipurpose passenger vehicle
Windshield	Tint only on the top six inches; darker material is permitted there	Same
Front side windows beside the driver	At least 50% film VLT and 35% finished VLT	Same
Side windows behind the driver	At least 50% film VLT and 35% finished VLT	Lower VLT permitted, subject to the rear-window exception
Rear window	At least 50% film VLT and 35% finished VLT	Lower VLT permitted, subject to the rear-window exception

The table summarizes ORS 815.221(2)–(4), without the AS-3 and medical exceptions discussed below.

SUVs and pickups: darker behind the driver, not beside the driver

The rear-window exception applies to a multipurpose passenger vehicle designed to carry ten or fewer people and built either on a truck chassis or with special features for occasional off-road operation. The vehicle must have rearview mirrors on both sides, and its tinted rear windows must meet federal AS-3 glazing requirements. The exception relaxes the film and finished-VLT minimums, not the other material restrictions. ORS 815.221(4)

ODOT’s tint brochure identifies pickups and SUVs as vehicles within this definition. For a crossover or van, confirm the actual vehicle classification rather than assuming its marketing name establishes eligibility. A company-owned vehicle does not gain this exception merely because it is used for work.

Separately, subsection (7) states that there are no light-transmittance requirements for glazing materials applied to AS-3-type windows. Have the installer identify the glass type before deciding which limits apply; a dark appearance alone does not establish that a window is AS-3. ORS 815.221(7)

Windshield: six inches, not a full-windshield allowance

Oregon permits tint on the top six inches and expressly prohibits tinting material on any other part of the windshield. The statute does not substitute an AS-1-line rule or authorize full-windshield film merely because it is very light or sold as ceramic. ORS 815.221(3)

Why 50% film may still need checking

Under the ordinary rule, the film must meet its own 50% minimum, while the completed window must meet 35%. Factory glass already reduces light transmission.

For an estimate, multiply the glass and film VLT as decimals:

70% glass × 50% film ≈ 35% finished VLT.

That example lands exactly on the legal minimum. On glass measuring 65%, the same film would yield approximately 32.5%—below the ordinary limit. These calculations are estimates, not substitutes for measuring the installed window.

Ask the installer to meter your existing glass, select film with room above the finished limit, and check the completed installation. Our 35 percent tint guide explains the distinction between film ratings and finished VLT.

20% or 5% film cannot satisfy Oregon’s ordinary side-window rule. Darker tint requires an applicable exception; it is not a general permission for every window.

Reflectance and prohibited materials

Darkness is not the only restriction. Oregon caps film light reflectance at 13% and prohibits:

• Mirror-finish products.
• Red, gold, yellow, amber or black material.
• Tint supplied in liquid preapplication form and brushed or sprayed on.

These restrictions appear in ORS 815.221(2) and (8). Do not rely on a product’s appearance or “Oregon legal” sales description; request its transmittance and reflectance specifications and confirmation that it meets the material restrictions.

Medical tint: documentation stays in the vehicle

A medical exception permits lower-VLT tint on side and rear windows when the vehicle is registered to the person holding the required documentation or that person’s legal guardian. The qualifying physical condition may affect that person or another person in their household.

The statute accepts any of these documents, signed by a validly licensed physician or optometrist:

• An affidavit.
• A prescription.
• A letter on the practitioner’s letterhead.

The document must state that the physical condition requires tint darker than ordinarily allowed. Keep it in the vehicle and show it to an officer who asks about the tint. This exception does not authorize tint below the windshield’s top-six-inch area. ORS 815.221(3), (5)–(6)

ODOT’s brochure also says to carry the installer’s certificate and confirms that DMV does not issue darker-tint permits. ODOT medical-tint guidance

Get the installer’s certificate before leaving

Oregon requires installers to provide a certificate identifying their name and address, the film’s light transmittance and reflectance, and a statement that each finished window transmits at least 35% of light. Keep the certificate in the vehicle and produce it when an officer asks. ORS 815.221(9)–(10)

For an installation using a lower-VLT exception, ask how the installer documents the exception and actual readings: the certificate wording in subsection (9) still refers to 35%. Do not accept a certificate that misstates the installation.

Tickets, existing tint and correction

Installing illegal tint and operating an Oregon-registered—or Oregon-registration-required—vehicle with illegal tint are Class B traffic violations. The ordinary statutory presumptive fine is $265, with a maximum of $1,000 for an individual; applicable surcharges can add to the amount. ORS 815.222; ORS 153.018–153.019.

ODOT’s tint brochure quotes a different fine, $360. The amounts above follow the statutory Class B fine provisions, also reflected in the Oregon Judicial Department’s schedule effective September 1, 2024.

If a used car or a car brought into Oregon already has tint, have it metered rather than assuming the previous installation complies. ODOT says vehicles purchased out of state and brought into Oregon are subject to Oregon’s requirements. ODOT tint brochure

After a citation for operating with illegal tint, a court may, but need not, dismiss it or reduce the fine when you establish that the windows were corrected. Keep removal or replacement receipts and other compliance evidence, and follow the citation’s response requirements. ORS 815.222(4)