| Window | Colorado requirement |
|---|---|
| Windshield | At least 70% visible light transmission (VLT) |
| Front side windows | At least 27% VLT |
| Rear side windows | At least 27% VLT, with an exception for darker rear glass |
| Rear window | At least 27% VLT, with the same exception |
| Windshield sun strip | Top 4 inches, subject to color and glare rules |
| Metallic / mirrored tint | Not permitted |
What VLT means
VLT is Visible Light Transmission: the percentage of visible light that passes through the glass. Lower number, darker window.
| VLT | How it looks |
|---|---|
| 70% | Nearly clear |
| 35% | Moderate tint |
| 27% | Colorado’s general minimum for non-windshield windows |
| 20% | Noticeably dark |
| 5% | Limo tint |
Is windshield tint legal in Colorado?
Yes. Colorado law allows film on the windshield as long as the finished windshield still transmits at least 70% of visible light. Colorado Revised Statutes § 42-4-227 sets that 70% floor.
Many drivers assume nothing can go below the top strip. In fact, the 70% rule opens the door to nearly clear ceramic film on the whole windshield.
Our 70% ceramic windshield film
We install Autobahn Ceramic i3 70% on windshields. It reads nearly clear, and it still delivers ceramic-film performance: 99% UV protection, infrared heat rejection, reduced glare, and less cooking of the dashboard and seats. The legal number is always the measured VLT of the completed windshield, and we meter it.
The windshield is the largest piece of glass on most vehicles and admits the most solar energy. Filming it is one of our most popular upgrades, and it earns its keep on trucks, SUVs, Sprinter vans, Teslas, and RVs with big glass.
Is 20% tint legal in Colorado?
This is where Colorado’s law gets interesting. The general rule is 27% VLT on everything behind the windshield. The exception: windows behind the driver, including the rear window, may be darker than 27% if the front side windows and the windshield both keep at least 70% VLT.
So Colorado allows two configurations. Tint the front side windows below 70%, and every applicable window needs at least 27%. Keep the fronts and windshield at 70% or above, and the rear glass can go darker, which is exactly how trucks and SUVs with dark privacy glass are set up from the factory.
What is the darkest legal tint in Colorado?
With tinted front windows: 27% VLT everywhere behind the windshield. With light fronts (70%+) and a 70%+ windshield: the glass behind the driver has no VLT minimum under the exception, which is why 20%, 15%, and even 5% rear glass is common on Colorado trucks and SUVs. Front side windows and windshields can never legally carry dark tint.
Is 35% tint legal in Colorado?
Potentially, with one catch: a film labeled 35% does not meter 35% on the finished window. Factory glass already blocks some light, so film over glass lands lower than the film’s rating. Colorado law applies to the finished window, and that is the number an officer’s meter reads. This is why we measure your actual glass before recommending a shade. (And to settle a common question: 20% is darker than 35%. Lower number, darker window.)
Can you have dark rear windows in Colorado?
Yes, under the light-fronts configuration above. This matters most for SUVs, trucks, crossovers, and vans. If the front side windows also go dark, the rules change, so the vehicle’s whole window configuration has to be considered together, not one pane at a time.
What about factory privacy glass?
The dark rear glass on most trucks and SUVs is privacy glass, darkened in manufacturing, and the law accommodates factory glazing that meets federal standards.
Here is the part that surprises people: dark privacy glass rejects far less heat than premium ceramic film. We regularly install ceramic film over factory privacy glass. The shade barely changes; the heat rejection, UV protection, and cabin comfort change a lot.
What about the windshield strip?
Colorado allows nontransparent material along the top of the windshield, extending no more than four inches down. It cannot be red or amber, distort primary colors, obstruct the driver’s vision, or create excessive reflected glare.
Are mirrored or metallic tints legal?
No. Colorado prohibits window material with a metallic or mirrored appearance. Modern ceramic films make the point moot: they reject heat without the mirror look.
What happens if your tint is illegal?
Tint below the legal limits is a traffic infraction under CRS 42-4-227, and visible dark tint on front windows is a valid reason for a stop. The practical costs stack up: the ticket, the re-tint to pass, and the film you paid for coming off. Installing to the legal number the first time is cheaper. (Colorado law does not provide a medical exemption for darker tint, so a doctor’s note does not change the limits.)
Does darker tint block more heat?
No, and this is the most useful thing to know before buying. Darkness and heat rejection are separate measurements. A cheap dark dyed film can reject less heat than a much lighter ceramic film.
We encourage two separate decisions: how you want the vehicle to look, which sets the shade, and how much performance you want, which sets the film technology. Autobahn Ceramic i3 blocks 99% of UV and comes in shades from nearly clear to very dark, so appearance and performance get chosen independently.
Read the comparison: Ceramic tint vs. regular tint: is ceramic worth it?
What tint percentage is best for Colorado?
Legal and ideal are different questions. Colorado driving means dark mountain roads, snowstorms, high-altitude glare, and unlit rural highways, sometimes in the same trip. Tint that looks right at noon can leave you squinting on an unlit canyon road at night.
We help customers weigh the law, the factory glass, appearance, privacy, night visibility, and heat rejection together. For drivers whose real goal is heat and UV control, a nearly clear ceramic film delivers the performance without changing the look of the glass.
A complete ceramic tint package
Ceramic film can cover the front sides, rear sides, rear glass, windshield, and sunroof or panoramic roof, which puts UV and solar protection on nearly every piece of glass. On vehicles with big panoramic roofs and windshields, the difference in summer cabin temperature is hard to miss.
Professional window tint installation in Arvada, Colorado
Ride N’ Shine Automotive installs Autobahn window film for customers throughout Arvada, Golden, Wheat Ridge, Lakewood, Westminster, Broomfield, Boulder, Denver, and the Front Range.
Tell us the year, make, and model and what you want your tint to accomplish, and we will lay out the options.