State tint law
North Dakota window tint law
Laws change and enforcement varies by area. Confirm with the North Dakota DMV before you install.
How dark can window tint be in North Dakota?
Darkness is measured as visible light transmission (VLT): the percentage of light that gets through. A lower number means darker tint.
| Window | Cars | SUVs and vans |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield | Tint on the windshield must let in at least 70% of light. Darker non-reflective tint is allowed above the AS-1 line or on the top 5 inches. | |
| Front side windows | Must let in at least 35% of light. | |
| Back side windows | Any darkness is allowed if the vehicle has outside mirrors on both sides; otherwise must let in at least 35% of light. | Any darkness is allowed. |
| Rear window | Any darkness is allowed if the vehicle has outside mirrors on both sides; otherwise must let in at least 35% of light. | Any darkness is allowed. |
Picked a legal shade? You can tint it yourself with a precut car tint kit from SnapTint, our DIY kit partner.
How reflective can tint be?
- Front side windows
- No metallic or mirrored appearance.
- Back side windows
- No metallic or mirrored appearance.
Other North Dakota tint rules
- Restricted colors
- No tint colors are banned.
- Side mirrors
- Dual side mirrors are required if the back window is tinted.
- Film certification
- Film manufacturers don't need to certify the film they sell in the state.
- Sticker
- No sticker identifying legal tint is required.
- Medical exemption
- The law has no medical exemption for darker tint.
Enforcement and penalties in North Dakota
- Enforcement
- Police can stop you for tint alone.
- Penalties
- The statute sets no amount; the fee comes from North Dakota's traffic fee schedule.
How the North Dakota tint law has changed
The changes we could document, newest first, each with its source. Where we only know that our older records differ from today's law, we say so rather than guess a date.
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Our records Front side limit: our older records said 50%
TintCenter's 2011 records listed 50% on the front side windows. The current Century Code (39-21-39) says 35%, with windows behind the driver exempt when the vehicle has two outside mirrors. We don't know whether the law changed or our older data was wrong.
Films of 35% VLT or lighter: legal on every window of a car in North Dakota. Darker films for the rear windows are in the full collection. All car window film.
Where to find the North Dakota tint law
These are the laws, rules and other sources we found for North Dakota. We list all of them rather than picking one, so you can read them yourself and decide. Laws change, so check the current text before you install.
Sources disagree: Many tint charts list 50% for North Dakota's front side windows. The statute (NDCC 39-21-39) says 35%.
- Statute North Dakota Century Code § 39-21-39 (opens in a new tab) North Dakota Legislature
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