SALT LAKE CITY — Utah lawmakers passed a bill last week changing how dark the windows of your car can be. These are known as car window tint limits. Senate Bill 149 will change the legal limit a car’s windows can be tinted, but only on the two front.

The bill approved a change from a 43% car window tint to a 35% tint, with a 5% buffer. The tint percentage refers to the amount of light that is allowed in. The only areas of a car affected by this bill are the front driver and passenger side windows.

Windshields cannot be tinted below the AS-1 line or 4 inches down from the top of the windshield, whichever is lower, according to the Utah Highway Patrol website. There are no limits on the other windows. But, the UHP does say a car must have outside rearview windows on both the left and right sides if the windows behind the driver’s seat are tinted.

The bill passed 20-6 in the Senate and 68-3 in the House.

Sen. Dan McCay, R-District 11, sponsored this bill and worked with the Utah Tint Association to find a reasonable change to the tint limit.

The Utah Tint Association advocated for the limit change out of concern for Utahns pulled over for tint violations. A window with a tint lower than the legal limit is considered in violation of the law and can qualify as an infraction in Utah. 

Before the change, Utah had the strictest car window tint limit compared to nearby states, requiring the lightest windows of all its neighbors. Colorado’s limits are 27%, Arizona‘s 33%, and Idaho‘s 35%.

If signed by Gov. Spencer Cox, the bill will become law and will go into effect on July 1, 2022. The governor has given no indication he would not sign.