Window Tinting — What's Legal?

Missouri Window Tinting Rules

• Front side windows (to the immediate left and right of the driver): 35% light transmittance, plus or minus 3%. Can be tinted darker with a medical prescription.
• Back side windows and rear window: Allowable window tinting without a permit — no tint limitations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are city licenses and parking stickers allowed on the windshield?

Yes. Labels, stickers, decalcomania, and information signs required by law are allowed, provided they do not interfere with the driver's normal view and are not expired.

Is window tinting allowed on all the windows in a vehicle?

Vehicles registered in Missouri may have the windows to the immediate right and left of the driver tinted to 35 percent, plus or minus three percent or more light transmittance. Windows behind the driver and the rear glass are not subject to tint limitations.

My doctor says I need to avoid the sunshine. Can I add extra tinting to the front side windows?

Missouri law allows window tint on the windows to the immediate right and left of the driver of 35 percent, plus or minus three percent light transmittance. Any tint with less light transmittance requires a physician's prescription indicating the serious medical condition that exists and the specific tint percentage needed above the standard allowance. A permit is required to operate a vehicle with tinting applied with less light transmittance than the 35 percent, plus or minus three percent. The permit may be issued by the Highway Patrol if the applicant has obtained a written prescription in the name of the vehicle owner from a physician, issued within one year, stating the specific tint percentage needed due to the specified medical disorder.

Can my spouse drive the vehicle if I get a permit?

A permit allows operation of the vehicle by members of the immediate family who are a husband, wife, son, or daughter who reside in the household.

Will my vehicle pass a safety inspection with tinting applied to the front side windows?

Missouri law does not require safety inspection stations to inspect window tinting on side or rear windows; however, the front windshield is inspected, and rejection will occur if after-market vision-reducing material is present. Missouri law enforcement officers will strictly enforce the window tint law.

If I operate a leased vehicle can I obtain a permit?

If you meet all the required criteria for obtaining a permit and your vehicle registration certificate includes your name, such as ACME Leasing c/o of John Doe, you may apply for a permit.

How do I prove to a police officer that the tinting on my front side windows is legal?

You must carry the window tinting permit in your vehicle at all times. Also, when the permit is issued a sticker will be affixed to the lower left corner of your windshield and a decal will be placed on the rear window or rear bumper.

How to Apply for a Window Tinting Permit

1. Obtain a prescription from your physician, issued within the year, stating the serious medical condition that exists and the specific tint percentage needed above the standard allowance of 35 percent (plus or minus three percent for the windows to the immediate left and right of the driver).
2. Bring your tinted vehicle(s) accompanied with the physician's prescription to your local Highway Patrol headquarters where they will issue the permit(s).
3. You may receive a permit to keep in your vehicle with a copy of the prescription. A sticker will be affixed to your windshield and a decal will be affixed to your rear glass or bumper.

Motor Vehicle Inspection Offices

General Headquarters Administrative Office: (573) 526-6132