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Wisconsin’s medical tint exception comes from the Department of Transportation’s vehicle equipment rule, Trans 305.32. Without it, vent and front side windows must let in at least 50% of visible light. With a physician’s recommendation, they may be tinted so they let in at least 35% of visible light, and the film still may not be reflective. There is no state permit or DMV application; the written physician statement kept in the vehicle is the documentation. The process involves two parts:
Some drivers ask whether a Wisconsin medical exception lets them tint their windows as dark as they want. It does not. The exception applies to the vent and front side windows only, the glass and film together must still let in at least 35% of visible light, and the film may not be reflective. The rear side window and windshield rules stay the same.
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 statement is emailed to you so you can print it and keep it in your vehicle.
It’s important for all Wisconsin drivers to understand the state’s window tint laws, even if you do not currently qualify for a Medical Window Tint Exemption. Wisconsin has specific regulations that control how dark vehicle windows may be tinted. These laws are intended to maintain visibility and safety while still allowing drivers reasonable protection from sunlight and heat.
These limits mean that front side tint darker than 50% requires a physician’s recommendation and a written statement in the vehicle, and front side tint darker than 35% is not allowed even with one. ForeverTint helps you find out whether you qualify for that physician statement. Eligibility is determined by a licensed physician based on your medical history.
Traditionally, getting a physician statement for Wisconsin medical tint 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 Trans 305.32, the written statement from the treating physician must:
The recommendation may be for the vehicle owner or a family member of the owner. Keep the signed statement in the vehicle at all times. Wisconsin does not require a separate DMV permit, decal or application. If your tint is questioned during a traffic stop, you can show the statement to the officer.
A verbal explanation is not enough under Wisconsin’s rule. The written statement must come from the treating physician and be in the vehicle. Without it, front side tint darker than 50% can result in a citation, and tint darker than 35% on the front side windows, or any reflective film, is not covered by the medical exception at all.
Wisconsin Administrative Code Trans 305.32(4)(b)3: “Vent and front side windows may be tinted on the recommendation of a physician or Christian Science practitioner for the owner or an […] family member of the owner, if the combination of the glazing and tinting film permits passage through the window of at least 35% of the visible light striking the window. The tinting film may not be reflective. A written statement from the treating physician or Christian Science practitioner shall be carried in the vehicle at all times. The statement shall identify the patient and medical condition which justifies the recommendation, state whether the condition is temporary or permanent, and identify the vehicle by make, model, year and vehicle identification number.”
Standard limits (Trans 305.32): without a recommendation, vent and front side windows must let in at least 50% of visible light, and rear side windows at least 35%. Tinting film on these windows may not be reflective.
Wisconsin’s rule, Trans 305.32, requires vent and front side windows to let in at least 50% of visible light. On a physician’s recommendation for the vehicle owner or a family member of the owner, those windows may be tinted to let in at least 35%, with non-reflective film. A written statement from the treating physician must be carried in the vehicle at all times.
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 statement is emailed to you to print and keep in your vehicle. The statement identifies the patient, the medical condition, whether it is temporary or permanent, and the vehicle’s make, model, year and VIN.
Wisconsin requires the written physician statement to be carried in the vehicle at all times. If you are stopped without it and your front side tint is darker than 50%, you can be cited even if you have a qualifying condition. Even with the statement, officers retain discretion.
No. The medical exception covers only the vent and front side windows, and the glass and film together must still let in at least 35% of visible light. The film may not be reflective, and the rear side window and windshield rules do not change.
No. Wisconsin does not issue a medical tint permit or require a DMV application. The documentation is the written statement from the treating physician, which must identify the patient, the medical condition, whether it is temporary or permanent, and the vehicle, and must be carried in the vehicle at all times.
First, an independent licensed physician reviews your medical history by chart review or, occasionally, a brief phone call. If the physician recommends darker front side tint, you receive a signed written statement with the information Wisconsin requires. You keep it in the vehicle at all times, and your front side tint must still let in at least 35% of visible light.
Wisconsin’s rule does not list specific conditions; it requires a medical condition that justifies the physician’s recommendation. 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.