Is 50% window tint legal in New York yet?

What did New York lawmakers pass?

Assembly Bill A5306 proposes changes to acceptable window light transmission and the related inspection rules. The Assembly passed it on February 24, 2026. The Senate passed it on June 2, and the action history then records its return to the Assembly.

Those are real legislative steps. They are not the same as a law taking effect. The reviewed bill page labels the measure “Passed Senate & Assembly,” and the recorded actions do not establish that the proposal became law.

The proposal would lower the front-side and specified passenger-car rear-side minimums from 70% to 50%. It would also set the rear-window minimum at 50% and remove the existing rear-window exception for vehicles with suitable mirrors. The windshield’s 70% requirement and upper-six-inch exception would remain unchanged.

The bill also proposes a plus-or-minus-seven-percent allowance for a specific test by the commissioner or designee when a person has been charged. That is not a general installation allowance. Its inspection changes would refer to the revised window limits.

Sources: A5306: official bill text on the Senate bill page ↗

Which number should drivers use now?

For the ordinary current rule, New York DMV says the windshield and front side windows must allow at least 70% of outside light to pass through. There are separate rules for rear windows, vehicle categories and approved medical exemptions.

Check the current statute, section 375(12-a), for the exact requirements. The ordinary 70% rule does not mean a product sold as “70 film” automatically makes your completed window compliant. Existing glass also affects the amount of light that gets through.

For example, a film name can describe a product shade rather than a verified reading on your car. Before installation, ask which finished-window result the proposed product is expected to provide. After installation, a proper measurement is more useful than the box label.

Sources: New York DMV: Tinted Windows ↗ · New York Vehicle and Traffic Law 375 ↗

Does passage mean the governor already approved it?

No. The bill’s history must establish the remaining legal steps and the final outcome. A news headline saying a bill “passed” can be accurate about one chamber, or both chambers, while leaving its legal status unclear.

Open the official bill page and read the latest dated action. Look for the enacted law or chapter record if one is available. Then check when that specific law takes effect. Do not replace those checks with a social post or a proposed effective-date sentence.

The proposed start is 60 days after the bill becomes law. That wording does not establish a calendar date while enactment remains unrecorded.

Sources: A5306: official bill text on the Senate bill page ↗ · New York Vehicle and Traffic Law 375 ↗ · New York DMV: Tinted Windows ↗

What if you already bought 50% film?

Keep the receipt and product details, and ask the installer which windows have the film. A front-window question differs from a rear-window question. A vehicle’s legal classification also matters.

If the installation was based on a claim that the bill was already law, ask for the official enacted source supporting that claim. Resolve the current requirement before relying on the film for an inspection or everyday driving. This article cannot determine the result of an individual inspection or ticket.

If you need a medical exception, use the actual DMV process. A pending bill is not a substitute for an approved exemption or the documents that process requires.

Sources: A5306: official bill text on the Senate bill page ↗ · New York Vehicle and Traffic Law 375 ↗ · New York DMV: Tinted Windows ↗

How to follow this story into 2027

Use this report’s source-check date to understand when its status was reviewed. The date printed in a search result is not proof that the law changed.

If the official record later shows enactment, the useful questions are: What exact text became law? Which windows does it cover? When does it start? Did inspection instructions also change? Until those answers are established, avoid treating a proposed percentage as an installation instruction.

The New York state guide explains the broader rules. The tint-law news page keeps legislative reports separate from general guides so readers can tell a proposal from a requirement already in force.

Sources: A5306: official bill text on the Senate bill page ↗ · New York Vehicle and Traffic Law 375 ↗ · New York DMV: Tinted Windows ↗