Window Tint Laws in Minnesota: The 50% Rule and Its Exceptions

Last reviewed: October 18, 2026. This article is general information, not legal advice. Minnesota's tint limits are in Minn. Stat. § 169.71 and can be amended; check the current text before you buy film.

Minnesota keeps its tint law in a single section of the traffic code, and it is refreshingly clear: one number for every side and rear window, a reflectance cap, and no aftermarket film on the windshield. The interesting part is the list of exceptions, which treats pickups, vans and medical needs differently. For other states, see our window tint laws by state chart.

Short answer: Window tint laws in Minnesota require every side window and the rear window to let through at least 50% of light (±3%), with luminous reflectance of 20% or less (±3%). No aftermarket tint is allowed on the windshield. Mirrored film is banned on any window, and every film applied after August 1, 1985 needs a permanent label. Pickup rear windows, the back windows of vans, limousines, funeral vehicles and police vehicles are exempt, and a physician's statement can allow darker film for medical reasons.

Minnesota tint limits at a glance

How the 50% and 20% figures work

Light transmittance is the share of visible light that gets through the window. Luminous reflectance is how much light bounces back, the "mirror" effect. Minnesota limits both, and allows a tolerance of plus or minus three percentage points on each.

The statute measures the window as "composed of or treated with" the material, which in practice means the film and glass together. Factory glass is seldom perfectly clear, so a film sold as 50% may read lower on your car. Ask the installer to meter the finished window rather than relying on the box.

The windshield: no aftermarket film

Unlike many states, Minnesota does not carve out a strip along the top of the windshield for aftermarket film. Subdivision 4(1) bans any material that makes the windshield more reflective or reduces light transmittance "in any other way." The tinted band many windshields have from the factory is covered by the separate exemption for original glass that meets federal standards (subd. 4a(a)(1)).

Subdivision 1 also prohibits signs, posters and other nontransparent material on the windshield and windows, apart from certificates or papers required by law or authorised by the state.

Who is exempt

Subdivision 4a(a) says the tint limits do not apply to glazing that:

• has not been modified since original installation, or is an original replacement window or windshield, installed in conformity with FMVSS 205;
• is required for a prescription or medical need (see below); or
• is applied to:
  • the rear windows of a pickup truck as defined in § 168.002;
  • the rear windows or the side windows behind the driver's seat of a van as defined in § 168.002;
  • the side and rear windows of a funeral establishment's vehicle used to transport human remains;
  • the side and rear windows of a limousine; or
  • the rear and side windows of a police vehicle.

Notice what is not on the list: ordinary SUVs and passenger cars are not named. Whether a particular vehicle counts as a "van" or "pickup truck" depends on the definitions in § 168.002, so check before assuming your back windows are exempt.

Registration matters too. Subdivision 4 applies to motor vehicles "required to be registered in the state of Minnesota." A visitor's car registered in another state is not the target of these limits, but once you move here and must register the car in Minnesota, the 50% rule applies.

The medical exemption

Minnesota's medical exemption is written in detail. Under subd. 4a(a)(2), darker glazing is allowed if:

1. the driver or a passenger has a prescription or a physician's statement of medical need;
2. the document states whether the condition is temporary or permanent;
3. it states the minimum percentage to which light transmittance may be reduced; and
4. it has an expiration date set by the physician of no more than two years after issue, unless the physician indicates the condition is permanent.

Subdivision 4a(b) adds a useful rule for families. A driver may rely on a statement issued to someone not in the vehicle if it was issued to the driver's parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling or spouse, or to a person for whom the driver is a personal care attendant; it names the make, model and license plate of one or two vehicles; and the driver has it with them.

Penalties

Drivers. Minn. Stat. § 169.89, subd. 1 makes a violation of chapter 169 a petty misdemeanor unless the chapter says otherwise. Under subd. 2, a petty misdemeanor is tried by a judge without a jury and is punished by a fine of not more than $300, with no jail. It can become a full misdemeanor if committed in a way that endangers people or property, or after two or more petty misdemeanor convictions within the previous 12 months. Court surcharges may be added; your citation will show the total.

Shops and sellers. Subdivision 5 makes it a misdemeanor to sell or offer for sale, or to apply or offer to apply as part of a business transaction, window material that does not meet subdivision 4. Selling a vehicle that already has non-compliant windows is not covered by that ban (subd. 5(c)), but the buyer will need to fix them to drive legally.

Practical tips before you tint in Minnesota

• Leave the windshield alone. No aftermarket film is allowed, even a top strip.
• Aim above 50% on every side and rear window, measured on the glass, unless your vehicle is on the exemption list.
• Avoid metallic films. The 20% reflectance cap and the "mirrored appearance" ban both apply.
• Keep the label between the film and the glass; subd. 4(4) requires a readable permanent marking.
• Carry the medical statement and note its expiry date.

How Minnesota compares

Minnesota's 50% figure applies to more windows than most states: Ohio, for example, sets 50% only on the front side windows, and Texas leaves the windows behind the driver unregulated. See window tint laws in Texas and window tint laws in California for contrasting approaches, and why there are window tint laws for the safety reasoning.

Sources

• Minn. Stat. § 169.71, windshield (Minnesota Revisor of Statutes)
• Minn. Stat. § 169.89, penalties (Minnesota Revisor of Statutes)