New Hampshire permits front-side aftermarket tint at 70% window transmission or more. Ordinary passenger-car rear tint requires at least 35%, with a federal-standard exception for qualifying multipurpose passenger vehicles and pickup trucks.
Read the official sources ↓Rules by window
| Window | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Windshield | Added tint is generally prohibited except a strip at the very top no wider than six inches that transmits at least 35%, or an approved medical permit. |
| Front side | At least 70% transmission on windows to the driver’s left and right, unless an approved medical permit authorizes the exception. |
| Rear side | At least 35% on ordinary passenger vehicles. Federally defined multipurpose passenger vehicles and pickup trucks may use the rear-glazing percentage permitted by FMVSS 205; verify actual classification. |
| Rear window | At least 35% for ordinary passenger vehicles, with the same MPV/pickup exception. Aftermarket tint behind the driver requires outside rearview mirrors on both sides. |
Current rules and measurement
RSA 266:58-a and Saf-C 2502.03 expressly allow front-side windows at 70% or more. Older summaries prohibiting every front-side film application omit this provision.
Transmission refers to the installed tinted window. These sources did not establish a numeric reflectance cap, film-color list or ordinary tint-product label requirement. Ask DMV about reflective or unusual products.
Medical permits and provider requirements
The published rules effective September 20, 2025 specify DSMV 603 revised September 2025, a medical section completed within six months, vehicle registrations and required owner signatures. Confirm the current form with DMV.
For the four-year waiver duration, RSA 266:61-a VII now expressly permits lasting-necessity documentation from a licensed physician, a qualifying advanced practice registered nurse, or a qualifying physician associate, effective August 31, 2026. Paragraph IX describes NH-licensed or VA-affiliated providers for required waiver certification, while the published 2025 rule defines its medical provider as a physician licensed in any U.S. state. Confirm the current provider and form process with DMV before relying on the older rule alone.
An approved permit covers at most two vehicles and must remain in the vehicle. Medical tint must transmit at least 35%. Permits generally last two years, or four years for provider-certified lasting medical necessity. Follow the particular windshield/front-side authorization.
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.
- Research checked October 14, 2026. September 20, 2025 is the cited administrative-rule effective date.
- Older DSMV 603 downloads titled only 'Tinted Windshield Medical Waiver' do not match the current rules; obtain the latest form from DMV.
- This guide does not resolve the separate changing statewide periodic-inspection program. Tint equipment requirements are a separate issue.
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
- New Hampshire RSA 266:58-a ↗
Official statute: front/rear percentages, vehicle classes and windshield strip.
- New Hampshire Saf-C 2500 ↗
Official rules incorporate September 20, 2025 changes, medical process and two/four-year permit durations.
- New Hampshire RSA 266:61-a: medical waivers ↗
Current statutory provider and waiver-duration provisions, including the August 31, 2026 amendment; compare with published Saf-C 2500.
- New Hampshire 2026 SB453 ↗
Enacted amendment to lasting-medical-necessity documentation, effective August 31, 2026; distinct from this guide’s review date.