What You Need To Know Before Tinting Your Windshield In Texas

The first thing a true Texan does when they buy a new vehicle is tint the windows—something to block the sun's rays and the nosey person in the car next to them.

You drop off your vehicle at the nearest tint shop and tell them you want it as dark as legally possible. In the past having a dark tint strip across the top of your window was always part of that. 

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The first 5 inches of windshield are called the AS-1 line, and you can still make it as dark as you want. Most manufacturers already cover some of this on your windshield.

What Are The Dots On The Front Windshield?

If you look on your windshield near the rearview mirror it should have little black dots around it. These tiny black dots are called frits. They are made of ceramic and located around the edges of the windshield. Not only do they help strengthen the windshield, they also block ultraviolet rays from the sun.

This helps the windshield stay in place by keeping the adhesive used to hold the windshield just that little bit cooler. Tinting over these dots could leave some unsightly bubbles.

Can I Tint My Entire Front Windshield?

Your windshield is likely already tinted somewhat from the factory, just like the rest of your windows. When getting tint put on, you have to take that into account.

In Texas, you can't legally tint any of your car windows darker than a combined 25%. Newer ceramic tints are virtually clear, but still give you more heat and UV rejection than old darker tints.

Keep Reading: Texans Should Wait Until 2025 To Modify Their Vehicles 

A clear UV film is allowed anywhere on the front windshield with no medical exemption required according to dps.texas.gov.

Read More: Is It Illegal To Wear Sunglasses While Driving In Texas? 

Any dark tint past the AS-1 line on the front would be illegal. This would risk getting a ticket and having to remove your tint.