2026 Kansas + Missouri guide
This plain-English guide explains the legal window tint percentages for Kansas and Missouri vehicles. Start with the state where your vehicle is registered, then check the limit for each window.
Start with your vehicle's registration state.Kansas and Missouri do not apply the same limits to every window. Confirm the rules that apply wherever you drive.
Side-by-side comparison
The percentages below refer to total visible light transmission through the glass and film—not the film rating by itself.
Kansas
Kansas describes a narrow medical provision for qualifying clear, colorless material—not a general darker-tint exemption.
Missouri
Darker front side tint requires a Department of Public Safety permit based on a physician's prescription.
Read the number correctly
Lower numbers appear darker. Because factory glass already affects light transmission, the installed result must be measured as a complete glass-and-film system.
The shade printed on a film sample is not a promise of the final meter reading after installation.
Missouri treats glass behind the driver differently from Kansas, so the same vehicle may have different legal options.
Use this as a plain-language guide and confirm current requirements before installation or interstate travel.
Last reviewed September 25, 2026. This page is a general summary, not legal advice. Official statutes and law enforcement guidance control if any information differs.
Common questions
No. The legal measurement is the total visible light transmission through the factory glass and installed film together. A film label does not necessarily equal the final measured VLT.
Kansas requires at least 35% total light transmission on the side windows and rear window. Tint must be nonreflective. Windshield tint is limited to a nonreflective strip above the AS-1 line.
Missouri allows 35% light transmission, plus or minus 3%, on the windows immediately beside the driver. The Missouri State Highway Patrol states that windows behind the driver and the rear glass are not subject to tint darkness limitations.
Start with the requirements for the state where the vehicle is registered. Drivers are responsible for confirming that their vehicle remains compliant wherever it is operated.
Generally, no. A 20% total VLT is darker than Kansas's 35% minimum for side windows and the rear window on vehicles required to be registered in Kansas.
A 20% total VLT is not allowed on the front side windows of a Missouri-registered vehicle without a qualifying Department of Public Safety permit. Missouri State Highway Patrol guidance says windows behind the driver and the rear glass are not subject to tint darkness limits.
Both states restrict windshield tint to the upper factory-style area. Kansas permits a nonreflective strip above the AS-1 line and prohibits red, yellow, or amber tint there. Missouri allows only the upper portion normally tinted by the glass manufacturer.
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