Colorado gives two rear-glass options: keep ordinary side and rear windows at 27% or more, or keep the front sides and windshield at 70% or more to use the darker-rear exception.
Read the official sources ↓Rules by window
| Window | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Windshield | At least 70% transmission. A top strip up to 4 inches has a separate allowance, subject to color, visibility, and glare restrictions. |
| Front side | At least 27%; at least 70% when using the below-27% rear-glass exception. |
| Rear side | At least 27%, or darker if the windshield and front sides each allow at least 70%. |
| Rear window | The same 27% rule and conditional darker-rear exception apply. |
Appearance, factory glass, and mirrors
Metallic or mirrored appearance is prohibited. The top strip cannot be red or amber, distort vision or color perception, or increase glare. Federally approved original glazing and qualifying replacements have a separate provision. Rear-view obstruction can require an outside mirror on each side under section 42-4-226.
Check the installed window
These limits concern the window as treated, not the film label. No medical exemption is provided in section 42-4-227; do not assume a doctor's note authorizes darker tint.
An introduced bill is not the law
HB19-1067 proposed a 20% rule for out-of-state vehicles, but the Legislature records it as lost and postponed indefinitely. That proposal is not an enacted 20% allowance.
Before you rely on this guide
This is general information, not legal advice, a vehicle inspection, or permission to install a particular film. Exceptions and enforcement procedures can depend on your circumstances.
The research date shows when the sources were checked. It is not the date the law took effect, and it does not mean this page is monitored continuously. This research preview still awaits human editorial review; we do not claim attorney review.
Official sources
- Colorado Revised Statutes 2026, sections 42-4-226 and 42-4-227 ↗
Official 2026 compilation linked by the Legislature, printed pages 657–659. Section 42-4-227 retains the 27%/70% limits, conditional darker-rear exception, four-inch windshield band, appearance restrictions, and factory-glazing provision. Its source history ends with the 2021 penalty amendment effective March 1, 2022; 2026 is the compilation year, not a new tint-law effective date.
- Colorado General Assembly: 2026 CRS titles for download ↗
Official index identifies these downloads as current with amendments, additions, and repeals from the 2026 Second Regular Session, and links the Title 42 PDF hosted at olls.info.
- Colorado Legislature: HB19-1067 ↗
Official bill history shows the 2019 proposal was lost, not enacted.