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Maine Window Tint Laws

Understanding Maine window tint laws can save you from incurring fees or other legal ramifications for the tinted windows in your vehicle.

Since these laws change often, it’s worth checking the legislation regularly to ensure that you are still in compliance.

Can You Get Pulled Over For Tint In Maine?

You can get pulled over for window tint in Maine, and vehicle tint laws are enforced all throughout the state.

There is an acceptable baseline amount of VLT or visible light transmission allowed for your vehicle.

And if you go under that, you are subject to Maine vehicular law regarding tint.

What Is Visible Light Transmission?

Visible light transmission refers to how much light can get through your windows at any given time.

The acceptable amount can vary depending on whether you are talking about a passenger or commercial vehicle.

Greater visible light transmission means that more light can get into your car, and ultimately, that anyone looking into your car can see what or who is inside.

Visible Light Transmission Legislation in Maine

In Maine, passenger vehicles and multi-purpose vehicles are held to different standards regarding acceptable visible light transmission.

Passenger vehicles can’t have any reflective or non-reflective tinting on the bottom part of their windshield.

They can only have a small amount of tint on the top five inches.

Front and back-side windows can be up to 35 percent tinted, which means that they have 75 percent visible light transmission, and the rear window can be up to 35 percent tinted as well.

Multi-purpose vehicles have slightly different rules under Maine law, but just as with passenger vehicles, only the top five inches of the windshield can be tinted.

The rest must be completely clear.

Similarly, the front windows can be up to 35 percent tinted, but the back and rear windows can be as dark as the motorist would like, within reason and general safety expectations.

Reflective Tint Legislation in Maine

The reflective tint is slightly different from non-reflective tint.

The non-reflective variety just impacts how dark it is inside the car or vehicle itself.

Reflective tint can actually affect other drivers, especially on sunny days, which makes it more heavily legislated.

Reflecting tint is popular because it can keep your car cooler and reduce glare, so many people apply it to their vehicles.

Since Maine law often shifts regarding tint standards, it’s especially important to keep apprised of this type of legislation.

For cars, sedans, SUVs, and vans, all front and back-side windows have to be non-reflective.

They can have a tint to the appropriate degree allowed by law, but the tint must darken the inside of the car only.

Cars and vehicles can have a reflective covering put on their dashboard while parked, though.

Other Aspects To Keep In Mind

If you decide to tint your windows, you need to be aware of a few other aspects as they pertain to Maine law.

Failing to comply with these other components can be problematic or even illegal.

If your back window is tinted in any way, you need to have dual side mirrors on your vehicle.

This is true for both passenger and multi-purpose vehicles.

These mirrors make up for the lack of visibility on the back of your car and allow you to drive safely.

Maine doesn’t have any specific tint colors against the law, only gradations of tint, so you can feel free to color your windows any shade you would like.

They also don’t make you put up a sticker to verify that your tint is legal over the visible light transmission limits.

Some states make you do this if you have a medical exemption.

Maine Tinted Window Medical Exceptions

Maine does have medical exemptions that allow you to put up certain types, or gradients, of tint.

You can apply for a medical exemption, and the Chief of the State Police will give you paperwork attesting that you are exempt from certain visible light transmission restrictions.

Although you will not be provided with a sticker, you should still keep this paperwork in your glovebox.

What Conditions Qualify For Window Tinting?

You need to talk to your doctor and check specific laws to determine whether or not your medical condition qualifies you to have excess window tinting.

Generally speaking, medical exemptions come in the form of light sensitivity or photosensitivity.

There are also exemptions for people who have certain types of autoimmune disorders, like systemic lupus erythematosus.

People with these types of conditions tend to be more sensitive to the sun’s rays and could suffer if they have to sit exposed in a car for a prolonged period of time.

Additional conditions that could qualify you for a medical exemption include arthritis, fatigue, organ failure or swelling, kidney conditions, some kinds of skin rashes, joint issues and pain, or chronic fever.

It is vital that you get paperwork from your medical provider to verify that you have these sorts of conditions and need special permission to have your windows tinted a darker shade.

Fines and Fees

In most cases, tinting infractions are seen as only mild breaches of the law, so you will most likely be looking at a small fine or fee.

Although this is generally up to the officer on duty, many tickets are roughly $100.

If you violate Maine’s tint laws multiple times, you could be liable for much more.