In the United States, tinting your car windows is regulated by each state. What are the laws like for a cool, wet state like Oregon? You’d think that the rules for tinting there would be relaxed, right?
Quick Answer
It depends on if you’re driving a sedan or a multi-purpose vehicle like a van or an SUV. Both kinds of cars only allow a non-reflective tint on the top six inches of the front windshield. Sedans allow up to 35% of darkness on the other windows, while MPVs can have any darkness on the back side and rear windows.
Let’s take a more in-depth look at Oregon’s tinting laws. What to do, what to avoid, and other questions you might have about tints.
Contents
Window Tinting in Oregon – What Does The Law Say?
There are two major reasons why getting your car windows tinted is a good idea. Some people do it for privacy, while others do it to block out the sun and harmful UV rays.
Can Windows Be Tinted in Oregon?
Windows can be tinted in Oregon, but how? You can do it yourself, but it’s easier to just get a professional. Here is a look at the different types of tinting you can use.
Dyed: The cheapest and most common kind of tint, dyes are effective at privacy and blocking UV rays. They also tend to fade after a few years.
Metallic: Metallic tints are more expensive than dyes. They make up for that by blocking out more UV rays, but they can interfere with GPS and cell phone signals.
Carbon: Carbon is more expensive than dyes or metallic tints. It also has the advantage of being better at stopping UV rays while not interfering with wireless signals.
What Windows Can Be Tinted in Oregon?
When it comes to tinting, windows are divided into categories by where they’re placed. Let’s take a deeper look.
Front Windshield: You can tint your front windshield with a non-reflective tint on the top six inches. The rest of the windshield must be clear, so the driver can see.
Front Side Windows: The driver’s and passenger’s side windows must let more than 35% of light in. This goes for sedans and multi-purpose vehicles like vans. The tint should be under 13% reflective, to prevent any distractions.
Back Side Windows: If you have a sedan, your back side windows should allow over 35% of light inside. If you have a van or an SUV, the windows can have any level of darkness. The tint has a legal reflective limit of 13% at most.
Rear Window: Like the back side windows, the rear window can go down to let 35% of light in. On a multi-purpose vehicle, there is no limit on window darkness. If you tint your rear windows or back side windows, Oregon laws state that you need a rear-view mirror on each side of the vehicle.
Restricted Colors: Some colored tints are considered illegal in Oregon. You can’t tint your car red, gold, yellow, amber, or black. All other colors are okay. The bright colors are illegal because they can be mixed up with rescue vehicles at a distance, while black is too hard to see through.
Oregon Window Tint Law Medical Exemption
There are certain skin and eye conditions that make being in a car hazardous, even with a normal tint. Oregon makes exceptions to the rule for medical reasons, and here’s how you can get one.
Exemptions come from the doctor, not the DMV: Your physician or optometrist makes the decision of whether you need an exemption. Your doctor will give you a prescription, a letter on practitioner’s letterhead, or an affidavit stating that you need to tint your windows darker. An affidavit is a legal document, so if you get one you must have it notarized.
What you need to have: You have to have the prescription, letter, or affidavit in the tinted vehicle at all times, along with a certificate from the tint installers. This certificate tells anyone who reads it how dark and reflective the tint is. Keep the items in your glove compartment, because it’s easy to remember.
Frequently Asked Questions About Oregon’s Car Window Tinting Laws
Here are some common questions about getting your car window tinted in Oregon.
What Does VLT Mean According to State Law?
VLT is short for Visible Light Transmission. It’s how light passing through a lens gets measured, with 100% as the clearest as there’s nothing to block the light. Police officers carry devices to measure VLT, so they can check to see if a window’s tint is too dark.
Does Oregon Allow Tinting on Truck Windows?
Yes! Trucks are considered multi-purpose vehicles like vans and SUVs. The back window can be fully tinted as it’s behind the driver, but make sure your truck has a rear-view mirror on each side.
How Much Does Car Window Tinting Cost in Oregon?
The price of tinting depends on what kind of vehicle you’re tinting and what kind of tint you use. Bigger vehicles have bigger windows, so a sedan using dyed tint will set you back around $220 and the cost goes up from there. You might be looking at numbers like $700 if you have an SUV.
Can You Get a Ticket for Tinted Windows in Oregon?
Oregon categorizes an illegal tint as a Class B traffic violation. This means you get a minimum fine of $135 to $360, but you can’t go to jail for it. If you move to Oregon with a tint that’s legal in another state, you want to get it fixed right away because it’s breaking the law.
Does Oregon Require a Sticker on Your Car If You Get A Tint?
No, you do not need any sort of sticker on your car. However, Oregon asks that the tinters have to give you a certificate that states how dark and how reflective the tint is.
Wrap Up
While Oregon’s tinting laws are accurate as of the time of writing, they could be changed in the future. Do your research before tinting your car, not only on the state laws but on the local ones as well.
