California Window Tint Laws: The Complete CVC 26708 Reference

California Vehicle Code 26708 regulates window tint by glass position, not by a single statewide darkness limit. Front side windows must transmit a minimum of 70% VLT. Windshields may only have a non-reflective strip above the AS-1 line. Rear side windows and the back glass have no VLT minimum when the vehicle has outside mirrors on both sides. Most of the confusion about California tint law comes from applying the 70% rule to windows it does not govern. Our guides on legal tint for a car in California and what happens when you get a tint ticket address the most common misunderstandings directly.

Enforcement is a separate question from legality. A legal tint can still prompt an inspection if an officer cannot tell from the outside that it meets the 70% threshold. Understanding how inspections work — and what a fix-it ticket actually requires — is practical knowledge for any Sacramento driver who tints their front windows. The medical exemption provisions are narrower than most guides describe, and this hub covers exactly what each provision permits and what documentation it requires.