Window tint laws are different in every state.
Drivers must abide by the tint laws or risk fines and demerits.
The highway patrol can pull you over if your windows are too dark or mirrored.
Knowing the level of window tint you are allowed can ease the stress of road trips and highway driving.
For Colorado, mirrored or reflective tinting is not allowed.
The tint level for car windows can depend on how easy it is to see the driver.
If a highway patrol officer cannot see if anyone is driving your car, they could direct you to pull over to the curb.
Can You Get Pulled Over for Tint in Colorado?
Within the Colorado state, tints have to be very specific to be permitted.
So, naturally, the question of tinted windows becomes: can you get pulled over for tint in Colorado?
The answer is yes, if the tint does not follow the regulations.
The kind of window tint you have can determine if you can get pulled over or not.
The darker the tint, the more likely you will receive unwanted attention.
Visible Light Transmission
The Visible Light Transmission percentage (VLT%) is a measurement used to determine the level of tint that your window has.
This percentage denotes how much visible light comes through the film and glass of a car window.
The higher the percentage, the more light that’s allowed through the window.
Higher percentages look more like clear window glass, whereas lower percentages are darker.
For example, if you have a 90% visible light transmission, it means that 90% of visible light can filter through your window.
If you have a 10% visible light transmission, only a small amount of visible light will be able to get through.
Colorado Regulations
In Colorado, regulations for car window tint allow for two different options.
First Option
- The windshield is allowed non-reflective tint only on the top four inches.
- The two front side windows are allowed to be tinted as long as they do not exceed 27% VLT.
- The back side windows are allowed to be tinted as long as they do not exceed 27% VLT.
- The rear window is allowed to be tinted as long as it does not exceed 27% VLT.
Second Option
- The windshield is allowed non-reflective tint only on the top four inches.
- The two front side windows cannot have tint if the back windows allow less than 27% VLT.
- The back side windows are allowed any percent if there is no tint on the front side windows.
- The rear window is allowed any percent if there is no tint on the front side windows.
If the back window is tinted, you must have dual side mirrors for better visibility while driving.
If you do not have mirrors with a tinted back window, you will be pulled over and fined.
Out of State Registered Vehicles
Vehicles that operate in Colorado state but are registered elsewhere must provide a minimum of 20% VLT in all their windows, aside from the windshield.
You should know that 20% is slightly darker than the allowed 27% of Colorado registered vehicles.
Following the Colorado rules and regulations, you don’t need a sticker to identify legal tinting.
The tints allowed for Colorado vehicles are not especially different from other regulations, so there is no need to prove how legal your windows are while you are on the road.
Unpermitted Tints
Colorado does not allow metallic or mirrored tinting on any car windows at any time, no matter what VLT percentage they have.
Metallic and mirrored tints make it harder to see the vehicle’s driver and can be confusing for other drivers when trying to safely share the road.
Red or amber-colored tinting is also not allowed.
Why Does Tinting Matter?
Your window tint can make it harder to see who is driving.
What is more, driver invisibility leads to more practical concerns.
Too dark of a tint can impede your vision, especially if you are driving at night.
If you cannot see where you are going, you shouldn’t be driving.
Dark tints can cause confusion between you and other drivers or pedestrians.
When you are traveling through intersections, it can be difficult for outsiders to judge your reaction to pedestrians who might be crossing in front of you.
This confusion can lead to accidents.
If you find yourself in a collision, a dark tint might prevent police or EMS from understanding your condition.
If you are severely hurt, they would have no way of knowing.
Tints can also impede police investigations.
If your car is similar to that of a suspect, the police might detain you for questioning, especially if they can’t see who is driving.
Penalties
If you do not abide by Colorado’ rules and regulations for window tints, you could face a Class B traffic infraction.
Misdemeanor fines are also possible. Fines for unlawful tinting range from as low as $500 to as high as $5000.
Conclusion
If your windows are properly tinted, there should be no need for you to get pulled over.
Colorado allows for two kinds of tint for your car.
One has more uniform darkness where all the windows aside from the windshield are allowed a certain level of tint.
The other allows for a much darker tint but requires the front side windows to be tint-free.
As long as these requirements are followed carefully, there should not be a problem with your car and highway patrol.