Texas window tint laws are set mainly by Texas Transportation Code §547.613, with a plain-language summary on the Texas Department of Public Safety Window Tinting Standards page. Aftermarket film on the windshield and the windows immediately left and right of the driver is measured together with the original glass. Those front windows generally need a light transmission of 25% or more and a luminous reflectance of 25% or less. Rear side windows are excepted. The rear window has no film restriction when the vehicle has an outside mirror on each side that shows the roadway at least 200 feet behind the vehicle.
Want supervised practice on real vehicles and a clear way to explain legal front-side film to Dallas–Fort Worth customers? Tint Academy’s next hands-on class is November 14–15, 2026 at Solar Spectrum Window Tinting in Keller, Texas. The same page also lists January 9–10, 2027.
Register: Dallas–Fort Worth Nov 14–15
Tint Academy has trained 6,500+ students over 10 years. See also how to install a windshield sun strip and how to remove old window tint.
What Texas Transportation Code §547.613 Says
Read the official text on the Texas Legislature’s statutes site before you install for customers:
- (a) General rule: It is a misdemeanor to operate a motor vehicle with material on the windshield or a side or rear window that obstructs or reduces the operator’s clear view, or for a person (including an installer) to place transparent material there that alters the color or reduces light transmission—unless an exception in subsection (b) applies.
- (a-1) Installer label: A person in the business of installing that material commits a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $1,000 if they install it without a label that complies with §547.609 between the material and the glass.
- (b)(1) Windshield: Combined light transmission of 25% or more and luminous reflectance of 25% or less; not red, blue, or amber; and not extending downward beyond the AS-1 line or more than five inches from the top, whichever is closer to the top.
- (b)(2) Front side windows: Combined light transmission of 25% or more and luminous reflectance of 25% or less on the windows to the left or right of the driver.
- (b)(2-a) and (b)(3): Side windows to the rear of the driver are excepted. The rear window is excepted if each outside mirror reflects a view of the highway for at least 200 feet from the rear.
- (d) and (e): The department may allow up to a three percent variance from the (b)(2) standard. It is a defense under (a) that the defendant or a passenger needed to be shielded from the sun for a medical reason.
Read §547.613 on statutes.capitol.texas.gov and the DPS summary at dps.texas.gov. This is not legal advice.
How DPS Describes Inspection
The DPS page matches those numbers. Windshield film belongs above the AS-1 line, or no more than five inches from the top if there is no AS-1 line. A clear, untinted UV film is allowed anywhere on the front windshield without a medical exemption. Front side windows below 25% light transmission fail inspection regardless of model year. Rear side windows are completely exempted, according to DPS. The rear window is unrestricted only when both outside mirrors give a roadway view of at least 200 feet to the rear.
For a medical exception darker than 25% on the two front windows, DPS describes a signed statement from a licensed physician or licensed optometrist. DPS no longer issues Window Tint Exemption Certificates (as of January 1, 2019).
The Installer Label Texas Requires
Section 547.609 requires a legible label with the department’s light-transmission and luminous-reflectance information, permanently installed between the film and the glass. For windshield or side or rear-window film, it must state that the light transmission is consistent with §547.613(b)(1) or (2), as applicable.
DPS asks for one label per vehicle at the rearmost bottom corner of the driver’s side window, reading “Complies with TRC Chapter 547” or “Complies with TTC 547.613 (b)”. Skipping a compliant label is the installer-specific offense in §547.613(a-1).
When customers ask how dark they can go, separate what the statute allows from what a meter will read on factory glass plus film. See how to become a certified window tinter, window tint certification explained, and the window tint certification hub.
Watch: Heat Shrinking a Rear Windshield
This Tint Academy demonstration shows rear-windshield heat-shrink setup: spreading the film, building an H pattern, dividing the glass into four quadrants, and working small sections with controlled heat and pressure, then a wet re-shrink before installation. Rear windows are part of Day 2 in the Dallas class.
For the written walkthrough, see how to heat shrink a rear windshield with the H pattern and four-quadrant method.
Dallas–Fort Worth Window Tint Course: November 14–15, 2026
| Dates | Saturday & Sunday, November 14–15, 2026 (next listed date: January 9–10, 2027) |
|---|---|
| Time | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM each day |
| Venue | Solar Spectrum Window Tinting, 1103 Keller Pkwy Suite 302, Keller, TX 76248, United States |
| Format | 2-day hands-on window tint certification on real vehicles |
| Included | Professional tool kit and ceramic automotive window film you keep; Tint Academy certification; online course (50+ chapters); mentor support |
| Experience | None needed — beginners welcome |
| Tuition | $1,299 USD regular; Early-Bird $996 full pay (message the team); Deposit $350 today / $1,099 total, balance due at class |
Register: Dallas–Fort Worth Nov 14–15
Day 1 covers tint theory, tools, glass preparation, roll-down windows, quarter and frameless windows, tint removal, sun strips, and business basics. Day 2 covers heat shrinking, sedan and hatchback rear windows, trucks and SUVs, finishing, pricing, and booking customers. See what a 2-day window tint training class covers.
Students train with professional ceramic automotive window tint. The product page notes that customers often choose ceramic film for heat rejection, UV protection, and reduced glare—useful in North Texas, where legal front-side darkness is limited by the 25% combined-transmission rule. No previous experience is required.
How to Register
- Open the Dallas–Fort Worth window tint training course page.
- Choose Full Pay or Deposit for November 14–15, 2026 (or January 9–10, 2027 if that date fits better).
- For Early-Bird $996 full-pay pricing, message the team first so they can confirm whether that rate is still available; or hold your seat with a $350 deposit ($1,099 total, remaining balance due at class).
Questions first? Call or text: 321-364-9518 (USA). Send your full name, email, “Dallas Nov 14-15” or “Dallas Jan 9-10,” and whether you want Full Pay or the Deposit Plan.
Register: Dallas–Fort Worth Nov 14–15
Texas Window Tint Laws FAQ
Is window tint legal in Texas?
Yes, with limits. Texas Transportation Code §547.613 restricts film that alters color or reduces light transmission, then lists exceptions for compliant front-side and windshield film, rear side windows, and a rear window with dual outside mirrors that show at least 200 feet behind the vehicle. Read the current statute and DPS guidance; this is not legal advice.
How dark can front side windows be in Texas?
Film on the windows immediately left or right of the driver, measured with the original glass, must have a light transmission of 25% or more and a luminous reflectance of 25% or less. Factory glass already blocks some light, so confirm the combined reading with a meter.
Are rear windows restricted in Texas?
Rear side windows are excepted under §547.613(b)(2-a). The back glass is excepted when each outside mirror reflects a view of the highway for at least 200 feet from the rear. If those mirrors are missing, DPS applies the same 25% transmission / 25% reflectance limits to the rear window.
What installer label does Texas require?
Section 547.609 requires a permanent label between the film and the glass. DPS asks for one label at the rearmost bottom corner of the driver’s side window, reading “Complies with TRC Chapter 547” or “Complies with TTC 547.613 (b)”. Skipping it can mean a fine not to exceed $1,000 under §547.613(a-1).
When is the next Dallas–Fort Worth window tint course?
November 14–15, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at Solar Spectrum Window Tinting, 1103 Keller Pkwy Suite 302, Keller, TX 76248. The same page also lists January 9–10, 2027. Register on the Dallas–Fort Worth course page.
How much does the Dallas window tint course cost?
Regular tuition is $1,299 USD. Early-Bird full pay is $996 if the team confirms that rate is still available. A $350 deposit holds a seat ($1,099 total, remaining balance due at class).
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