What is the darkest window tint allowed by law in Texas?

Answer 1

Texas Transportation Code § 547.613: RESTRICTIONS ON WINDOWS

(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a person commits an offense that is

a misdemeanor:

- - - (1) if the person operates a motor vehicle that has an object of material

- - - that is placed on or attached to the windshield or side or rear window

- - - and that obstructs or reduces the operator's clear view, or

- - - (2) if a person, including an installer or manufacturer, places on or

- - - attaches to the windshield or side or rear window of a motor vehicle a

- - - transparent material that alters the color or reduces the light

- - - transmission.

(b) This section does not apply to:

- - - (1) a windshield that has a sunscreening device that:

- - - - - - (A) in combination with the windshield has a light transmission of 25

- - - - - - percent or more;

- - - - - - (B) in combination with the windshield has a luminous reflectance of

- - - - - - 25 percent or less;

- - - - - - (C) is not red, blue, or amber; and

- - - - - - (D) does not exted downward beyond the AS-1 line or more than

- - - - - - five inches from the top of the

- - - - - - windshield, whichever is closer to the top of the windshield;

- - - (2) a wing vent or a window other than a windshield of the vent or

- - - window has a sunscreening device that in combination with the vent or

- - - window has:

- - - - - - (A) a light transmission of 25 percent or more; and

- - - - - - (B) a luminous reflectance of 25 percent or less;

- - - (3) a rear window, if the motor vehicle is equipped with an outside mirror

- - - on each side of the vehicle that reflects to the vehicle operator a view of

- - - the highway for a distance of at least 200 feet from the rear;

- - - (4) a rearview mirror;

- - - (5) an adjustable nontransparent sun visor that is mounted in front of a

- - - side window and not attached to the glass;

- - - (6) a direction, destination, or termination sign on a passenger common

- - - carrier motor vehicle, if the sign does not interfere with the vehicle

- - - operator's view of approaching traffic;

- - - (7) a rear window wiper motor;

- - - (8) a rear trunk lid handle or hinge;

- - - (9) a luggage rack attached to the rear trunk;

- - - (10) a side window that is to the rear of the vehicle operator on a

- - - multipurpose vehicle;

- - - (11) a window that has a United States, state, or local certificate placed

- - - on or attached to it as required by law;

- - - (12) a motor vehicle that is not registered in this state;

- - - (13) a window that complies with federal standards for window materials,

- - - including a factory-tinted or a pretinted window installed by the vehicle

- - - manufacturer, or a replacement window meeting the specifications

- - - required by the vehicle manufacturer;

- - - (14) a vehicle that is:

- - - - - - (A) used regularly to trasport passengers for a fee; and

- - - - - - (B) authorized to operate under license or permit by a local

- - - - - - authority;

- - - (15) a vehicle that is maintained by a law enforcement agency and used

- - - for law enforcement purposes; or

- - - (16) a commercial motor vehicle as defined by Section 644.001.

(c) A manufacturer shall certify to the department that the sunscreening

device made or assembled by the manufacturer complies with the light

transmission and luminous reflectance specifications established by Subsection

(b) for sunscreening devices in combination with a window.

(d) The department may determine that a window that has a sunscreening

device is exempt under Subsection (b)(2) if the light transmission or luminous

reflectance varies by no more than three percent from the standard

established in that subsection.

(e) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that the defendant or a

passenger in the vehicle at the time of the violation is required for a medical

reason to be shielded from direct rays of the sun.

(f) It is not an offense under this section for a person to offer for sale or sell a

motor vehicle with a windshield or window that does not comply with this

section.

(g) In this section:

- - - (1) "Installer" means a person who fabricates, laminates, or tempers a

- - - safety glazing material to incorporate, during the installation process, the

- - - capacity to reflect light or reduce light transmission.

- - - (2) "Manufacturer" means a person who:

- - - - - - (A) manufactures or assembles a sunscreening device, or

- - - - - - (B) fabricates, laminates, or tempers safety glazing material to

- - - - - - incorporate, during the manufacturing process, the capacity to

- - - - - - reflect light or reduce light transmission.