A Colorado Window Tint Recommendation is something many drivers look into when a medical condition makes sunlight difficult to tolerate. The most common question is whether a recommendation helps with Colorado’s tint laws or with tint tickets. The direct answer is no. Colorado has no medical window tint exemption. A physician’s recommendation can document your condition, but it does not allow tint darker than Colorado’s limits and does not prevent a citation.
What Colorado Law Says About Medical Window Tint
Colorado’s window tint law is C.R.S. 42-4-227. It contains no medical exemption, and Colorado has no state permit, DMV application, or medical tint program. Under the statute:
- Windshield: must allow at least 70% light transmittance. Non-reflective tint is allowed only on the top four inches.
- Other windows: must allow at least 27% light transmittance.
- Windows behind the driver: the rear side windows and rear window may be darker than 27% only if the windshield and front side windows allow at least 70% light transmittance.
These limits are the same whether or not you have a medical condition or a physician’s recommendation.
Why Drivers Seek a Window Tint Recommendation
For some people, sunlight is more than an inconvenience. Conditions such as lupus, porphyria, xeroderma pigmentosum, albinism, photosensitivity dermatitis, melanoma and other skin cancers, and light-sensitive eye conditions can make UV exposure or glare medically significant. Some of these drivers want a physician’s written opinion about their need for sun protection. A licensed physician decides whether a recommendation is medically appropriate.
Does a Recommendation Help During a Traffic Stop?
A recommendation has no legal effect in Colorado. That means:
- It does not allow tint darker than Colorado’s limits.
- It does not prevent a citation if your tint is darker than the law allows.
- An officer is not required to accept it as a reason not to cite you. Officers retain discretion.
Under C.R.S. 42-4-227, a tint violation is a class B traffic infraction, and installing tint that does not meet the light transmittance requirements is a class A traffic infraction. The way to avoid a tint citation in Colorado is to keep your tint within the legal limits.
Exemption vs. Recommendation
These terms are often used interchangeably online, but in Colorado they are not the same. A medical exemption is a legal exception to tint limits that some states grant through a state agency. Colorado does not have one. A Window Tint Recommendation is a physician’s signed medical opinion. It does not change Colorado law.
What to Do If You Need Additional Sun Protection
- Keep tint within the legal limits. Ask your installer to confirm the light transmittance of the film and glass together.
- Ask about UV-blocking film. Many clear or light films block most ultraviolet light while still meeting Colorado’s limits.
- Use other protection. Prescribed sunglasses, UV-protective clothing, and sunscreen add protection without affecting tint compliance.
- Talk with a physician about which protective measures make sense for your condition.
How ForeverTint’s Colorado Recommendation Works
If you want a physician’s written recommendation, start by purchasing your Colorado Window Tint Recommendation. An independent licensed physician reviews your medical history by chart review, and occasionally a brief phone call. If you qualify, your recommendation is delivered electronically so you can print it. If the physician determines you do not qualify, you receive a full refund.
The recommendation is medical documentation only. It does not change Colorado’s tint limits. Learn more on our Colorado Window Tint Recommendation page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Colorado law say about medical window tint?
Colorado law has no medical exemption for window tint. A physician’s Window Tint Recommendation can document your medical condition, but it does not allow tint darker than Colorado’s limits and does not prevent a citation.
Can a Window Tint Recommendation help me avoid a tint ticket in Colorado?
No. A recommendation has no legal effect. If your tint is darker than Colorado’s limits, you may be cited whether or not you have one.
What is the penalty for illegal tint in Colorado?
Under C.R.S. 42-4-227, a violation is a class B traffic infraction. Installing tint that does not meet the light transmittance requirements is a class A traffic infraction.
