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In Oregon, the medical exception comes from the signed medical document itself; there is no DMV permit or state application. Without that document, side and rear windows must let in 35% or more of light in total, and darker tint can result in a citation. The exception applies to the side and rear windows of a vehicle registered in your name (or your legal guardian’s name). The process involves two parts:
Some drivers ask whether an Oregon medical tint document lets them tint their windows as dark as they want. The exception relaxes only the light transmittance limits for side and rear windows. The 13% reflectance limit still applies, windshield tint is still limited to the top six inches, and mirror finish products and red, gold, yellow, amber or black tint material remain prohibited.
ForeverTint connects you with an independent licensed physician who reviews your medical history by chart review or, occasionally, a brief phone call. If you qualify, the signed physician document is emailed to you so you can print it and keep it in your vehicle, as ORS 815.221(6) requires.
It’s important for all Oregon drivers to understand the state’s window tint laws, even if you don’t currently qualify for a Medical Window Tint Exemption. Oregon has specific regulations that control how dark your vehicle windows can be tinted. These laws are intended to balance driver visibility and public safety while still allowing reasonable protection from heat, glare, and UV exposure.
These limits mean that side or rear window tint darker than Oregon’s standard limits requires a signed document from a licensed physician or optometrist under ORS 815.221(5). ForeverTint helps you find out whether you qualify for that document. Eligibility is determined by a licensed physician based on your medical history.
Traditionally, getting a signed medical tint document in Oregon meant making an in-person doctor’s appointment. ForeverTint moves the physician review online:
*If the physician determines you do not qualify, you receive a full refund.
An independent licensed physician decides whether your condition qualifies. Conditions a physician may consider include:
Lupus is an autoimmune disease in which ultraviolet light can trigger skin rashes, joint pain, and fatigue. Physicians commonly advise people with lupus to limit UV exposure, including the UVA light that passes through car side windows.
Porphyrias are a group of disorders in which certain compounds build up in the body and react to light, causing blistering, burning pain, and skin damage after sun exposure. Avoiding sunlight is a central part of managing the cutaneous forms.
Xeroderma pigmentosum is a rare genetic disorder that prevents the body from repairing DNA damage caused by ultraviolet light. People with XP burn after minimal sun exposure and face a greatly increased risk of skin cancers and eye damage.
People with albinism produce little or no melanin, the pigment that helps protect skin and eyes from ultraviolet light. They are highly prone to sunburn and skin damage and often experience significant light sensitivity and glare.
Photosensitivity dermatitis is an abnormal skin reaction to sunlight that can cause redness, itching, swelling, and rash on exposed skin. It can be linked to an underlying condition or to medications, and limiting UV exposure helps prevent flare-ups.
A personal history of melanoma or other skin cancers means ongoing UV exposure is a serious concern. Dermatologists routinely advise these patients to reduce sun exposure wherever possible, including time spent driving.
Some eye conditions, such as uveitis, certain retinal disorders, and sensitivity following eye surgery, cause pain or impaired vision in bright light. A licensed physician or optometrist can assess whether reducing light exposure while driving is medically necessary.
Cockayne syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that causes extreme sensitivity to sunlight, along with other developmental and health effects. Strict sun protection is part of everyday care.
Bloom syndrome is a rare inherited disorder that causes sun-sensitive skin, often with a facial rash after sun exposure, and an increased lifetime risk of cancer. Limiting UV exposure is a standard precaution.
Vitiligo causes patches of skin to lose their pigment, leaving those areas without natural protection from ultraviolet light. Depigmented skin burns easily, so physicians often recommend extra sun protection.
Some autoimmune conditions, such as dermatomyositis, cause skin and muscle symptoms that worsen with sun exposure. Certain medications used to treat autoimmune disease can also increase sensitivity to light.
Healing burns, skin grafts, and scar tissue are more vulnerable to sun damage, and UV exposure can cause scars to darken. Physicians typically advise protecting these areas from direct sunlight.
Other diagnosed conditions, including sun sensitivity caused by medications, can make sun exposure a health concern. Describe your condition during intake, and an independent licensed physician will review your medical history and decide whether darker tint is medically necessary for you.
Under ORS 815.221(5), the document must:
Keep the signed document in the vehicle at all times. Oregon law requires it to be shown to a police officer who inquires about the tint. Oregon does not require you to file it with the DMV, and the statute does not set an expiration date.
A verbal explanation is not enough. Without the signed document in the vehicle, side or rear window tint darker than the standard limits can result in a citation, even if you have a legitimate medical condition; illegal window tinting is a Class B traffic violation. Having the document does not guarantee you will not be stopped or cited; officers retain discretion.
ORS 815.221(5): “(5) Tinting material that has a lower light transmittance or produces a lower total light transmittance than permitted in subsection (2)(a) and (c) of this section may be applied to the side and rear windows of a vehicle registered in the name of a person, or the person’s legal guardian, if the person has any of the following documents signed by a validly licensed physician or optometrist stating that the person or another person in the person’s household has a physical condition requiring window tinting that produces a lower light transmittance than allowed by this section: (a) An affidavit. (b) A prescription. (c) A letter on the practitioner’s letterhead.”
ORS 815.221(6): “(6) The document required by subsection (5) of this section shall be kept in the vehicle and shall be shown to a police officer who inquires about the tint.”
ORS 815.222(5): “(5) A court may dismiss a citation issued for violation of subsection (2) of this section, or reduce the fine that the court would otherwise have imposed for the offense, if the defendant establishes to the satisfaction of the court that at the time the citation for the offense was issued the person or another person in the person’s household had a physical condition requiring window tinting that produces a lower light transmittance than allowed by ORS 815.221.”
Source: ORS 815.221
Oregon law (ORS 815.221) requires side and rear windows to have 35% or more total light transmittance. Under ORS 815.221(5), darker tint is allowed on the side and rear windows of a vehicle registered to a person who has an affidavit, prescription, or letter signed by a licensed physician or optometrist stating that the person or someone in their household has a physical condition requiring it. The document must be kept in the vehicle and shown to an officer who asks.
Oregon law requires the document to be signed by a validly licensed physician or optometrist; it does not require an in-person visit. ForeverTint connects you with an independent licensed physician who reviews your medical history by chart review or, occasionally, a brief phone call. If you qualify, the signed document is emailed to you to print and keep in your vehicle.
ORS 815.221(6) requires the document to be kept in the vehicle and shown to a police officer who inquires about the tint. Without it, you can be cited for operating a vehicle with illegal window tinting, a Class B traffic violation. Under ORS 815.222(5), a court may dismiss the citation or reduce the fine if you show you or a household member had a qualifying physical condition when the citation was issued.
No. The medical exception relaxes only Oregon’s light transmittance limits for side and rear windows. The 13% reflectance limit still applies, windshield tint is limited to the top six inches, and mirror finish products and red, gold, yellow, amber or black tint material remain prohibited.
No. Oregon does not issue a DMV permit or certificate for medical window tint. Under ORS 815.221(5) and (6), the signed physician or optometrist document is what allows darker side and rear tint, and you keep it in the vehicle rather than filing it with the state.
A licensed physician or optometrist must decide that you, or someone in your household, have a physical condition requiring darker window tint and sign an affidavit, prescription, or letter on letterhead stating so. The vehicle must be registered in your name or your legal guardian’s name. Keep the signed document in the vehicle and show it to an officer who asks.
Oregon law does not list specific conditions; it requires a physical condition requiring darker window tinting, as stated by a licensed physician or optometrist. Conditions a physician may consider include lupus, porphyria, xeroderma pigmentosum, albinism, photosensitivity dermatitis, melanoma and other skin cancers, and light-sensitive eye conditions. An independent licensed physician decides whether your condition qualifies.
Having a medical recommendation from a doctor for darker window tint does not guarantee you will not get a ticket. An officer can still give you a ticket at their own discretion.