Cars with tinted windows look fancy, but if you live in New Hampshire, that won’t be a good idea! Thanks to the New Hampshire tint laws, you cannot use tint film on the windows whenever you want.
But what do these laws say? Well, that’s what we’ll discuss here today.
It was 1990 when the car tinting law in New Hampshire was proposed. It talks about how much dark or reflective your car window tint should be, depending on your state.
We’ve provided all the information you need in this regard over here. Also, there is also some extra information on rules and regulations, which you should obey if you don’t want to get fined.
So yes, it’s pretty crucial that you read the whole article from top to bottom.
Table of Contents
New Hampshire Tint Laws 2023 – Everything You Need to Know
Before you get to know the New Hampshire window tint laws, you need to learn about the VLT. So before we get into the details, let’s talk about it first!
What does VLT mean according to New Hampshire state law?
The VLT or Visible Light Transmission indicated the percentage of detectable light that passes through your car’s window.
When the VLT is lower, the window tint will get darker. And higher VLT means that more light will penetrate the windows without any trouble.
For instance, if you install 75% tint on the glasses, 75% light will go through them. And when the tint is 5%, the insides of your car will be way darker!
By the way, We have in-depth content about VLT and window tint percentage for your reference. We recommend checking it out If you want to know the different levels of window tint.
So, what are the New Hampshire Tint Laws– NH tint laws 2023
The New Hampshire window tint law is different for each type of vehicle. For passenger and multipurpose vehicles, you have to follow dissimilar rules.
So here are the NH window tint laws 2023 for multipurpose and passenger automobiles.
Legal Tint in NH- Tint Darkness for Passenger Vehicles
- Windshield
If you are using a non-reflective tint of 35% VLT, you can install it on the top Six-inch of your vehicle’s windows according to NH tint laws. - Front side windows
New Hampshire is one of the states with 70 tint darkness as the limit for the front side windows. This means that you can get a dark tint on the front side windows without getting in trouble with the NH tint laws. - Backside windows
NH tint laws are strict when it comes to how dark your window can be. If you’re using a tint darker than 35, you’re likely in violation of the law. This means that you can get a 35% dark tint on the Backside windows without getting in trouble according to New Hampshire Tint Laws. - Rear window
The legal tint in New Hampshire is 35. This means that the front and rear windows of your car must be at least this dark to be considered legal. If your car’s windows are darker than this, you may need to get a special license from the NH State Police.
Legal Tint in NH- Tint Darkness for Multi-purpose Vehicles
- Windshield
If you are using a non-reflective tint of 35% VLT, you can install it on the top Six-inch of your vehicle’s windows according to NH tint laws. - Front side windows
New Hampshire is one of the states with 70 tint darkness as the limit for the front side windows. This means that you can get a dark tint on the front side windows without getting in trouble with the NH tint laws. - Backside windows
NH tint laws are strict when it comes to how dark your window can be. If you’re using a tint darker than 35, you’re likely in violation of the law. This means that you can get a 35% dark tint on the Backside windows without getting in trouble according to New Hampshire Tint Laws. - Rear window
The legal tint in New Hampshire is 35. This means that the front and rear windows of your car must be at least this dark to be considered legal. If your car’s windows are darker than this, you may need to get a special license from the NH State Police.
Window Tint Reflection According to the NH Window tint law 2023
Using tint on your automobile’s window can reflect the incoming light and reduce the heat. Moreover, the tinted windows also prevent glares.
Well, the window tint New Hampshire law authorizes some specific window reflection while using a tint. So if you ever think about coloring the glasses, pay attention to this.
Tint Reflection for Sedans
- Front side windows
The NH window tint law 2023 restricts any metallic or mirrored finish that cannot be used on the front side windows of a Sedan. This is in compliance with many other states’ laws, which prohibit the use of these types of finishes because they can present a safety hazard to pedestrians and drivers. - Backside windows
NH window tint law 2023 restricts the use of metallic or mirrored finishes on NH windows. This restriction applies to both residential and commercial windows. Metallic or mirrored finishes can be an attractive addition to your home or office, but if you want to install them on your NH windows, you need to be aware of the restrictions imposed by the window tint law.
Tint reflection for SUV and Vans
- Front Side windows
The NH window tint law 2023 restricts any metallic or mirrored finish that cannot be used on the front side windows of an SUV and Vans. This is in compliance with many other states’ laws, which prohibit the use of these types of finishes because they can present a safety hazard to pedestrians and drivers. - Back Side windows
NH window tint law 2023 restricts the use of metallic or mirrored finishes on NH windows. This restriction applies to both residential and commercial windows. Metallic or mirrored finishes can be an attractive addition to your home or office, but if you want to install them on your NH windows, you need to be aware of the restrictions imposed by the window tint law.
Other New Hampshire Window Tint Laws and Regulations You Need to Know
When it comes to window tinting of your vehicle, New Hampshire is pretty serious about that. You will have plenty of rules and regulations to abide by.
Besides maintaining a specific percentage of the glare on each window, here are some other restrictions you need to follow, even if you want to do a subtle darkening.
Side mirrors in New Hampshire
Dual side mirrors are required only if the back window is tinted.
Restricted Colors
When someone hears about the tint laws in New Hampshire, the next question they ask is which color to use on the glass. Well, the law of New Hampshire doesn’t allow you to use all the colors on the palette; that’s no secret! So which colors can be used?
No colors of tint are explicitly restricted.
You can use gray, green, and bronze car window tint without any issue. Moreover, you have permission to use neutral smoke color too.
Therefore, if you want to use smoke gray window tint, you can do that confidently.
Certificates
The films used by the manufacturers to tint your cars don’t need any certification in New Hampshire according to NH window tint law 2023.
Stickers
State law recommends but does not require stickers to identify legal tinting.
Penalties
Non-moving traffic violation.
New Hampshire Window Tint Waiver- NH Tint Waiver
In New Hampshire, the law states that any driver with a medical exemption can tint their car windows to any degree. To get this exemption, you must have a letter from your doctor that specifically states that you need to tint your windows for medical reasons. The letter must include your name, date of birth, and the specific reason why you need to tint your windows. You must also have this letter with you whenever you’re driving, and present it to a police officer if they ask for it.
How to Get Medical Exemption for Window Tint in New Hampshire?
The process for getting this New Hampshire Window Tint waiver Form is fairly simple. You just need to go to your doctor and get a note from them stating that you need the dark tint for medical reasons. Once you have the note, take it to your local motor vehicle office and they will issue you an exemption sticker to put on your car.
NH tint Waiver Requirements
| State | NH window tint waiver requirements |
| Statute, regulation, or other sources | N.H. Rev. Stat. § 266:61- a, § 266:58a N.H. Code Admin. R. SafC 2503.02, 2503.03 |
| For whom the exemption may apply | driver or regular front-seat passenger |
| Reason(s) | bona fide medical reasons: extreme intolerance to light, allergic reactions to the sun, melanoma, lupus, porphyria, or any other medical condition which is aggravated by exposure to the sun |
| Which windows | windshield or windows to the left and right of the driver |
| Limits on the amount of tint | not < 35% light transmittance |
| Certification from medical provider (which type[s] of provider) | medical doctor (form specifies MD or DO) |
| Application to state department | required |
| Frequency of certification of need | 2 years |
Benefits of Window Tinting
The tint on your car’s window isn’t just a decorative thing; it comes with greater benefits too. So let’s talk about the advantage of coloring your vehicle’s window, shall we?
Prevents the Interior from Fading
While parking our cars, we always look for shades, don’t we? Well, it helps us to maintain the top-notch condition of our car’s exterior.
Likewise, when you use tints on your vehicle’s windows, the interior doesn’t have to face the harshness of the sunlight. Therefore, if you have beautiful leather seats, they are less likely to get damaged!
Blocks UV Rays
You don’t need to get lectured about the harmful effects of UV rays, do you? We all know that applying tons of sunscreen isn’t enough to protect you from damage. And when your car has tinted glasses, you can avert this UV situation pretty gracefully.
Get Better Security
Nothing is worst than people staring at you when you mind your own business in the car. The people in the backseat have to go through this problem more than the drivers. And when you get tinted glasses, you don’t have to go through this annoyance anymore.
Take a Chill Pill
When riding on the hottest summer days, even the AC won’t be enough to cool you down. But if you have tinted windows, you don’t have to worry about sweating anymore!
Cost of Car Window Tint New Hampshire
The cost may vary from film to film when it is to tint. For instance, if you want to use a regular classic film for your Sedan, it will cost you up to 150-200 bucks. And when you want something exclusive like ceramic tints, you will need to spend $400 or more!
However, if you don’t have the budget to do the tinting professionally, you can get a DIY tint kit. It will cost you around a hundred bucks, which is a relief!
To know more detail about car tint cost click here.
Secret Tips
How To Pass Inspection With Tinted Windows NH
N.H. Tint law references
New Hampshire Statutes section 266:58-a: Tinted glass
New Hampshire House Bill 224 – Amended tinting laws in 2021
Medical exemption info
New Hampshire DMV: Tinted windows medical waiver
New Hampshire DMV: Application for tinted window medical waiver (.pdf file)
The Bottom Line
The goal of creating this article was to enlighten you about the New Hampshire tint laws so you can confidently drive your car through the state. The article you’ve read just now was last updated in 2021. If you think we’ve missed any new information, feel free to contact us anytime you want.
In conclusion, it is important to be familiar with the New Hampshire window tint laws if you are planning to get your car tinted. While there are some restrictions, the benefits of window tinting make it well worth the effort to follow the guidelines. To learn more about New Hampshire‘s window tinting laws or for assistance finding a qualified installer, visit the website of the New Hampshire Criminal Justice Information Center.
