A Texas driver says a week-old window tint job turned into an unexpected traffic stop after law enforcement flagged her vehicle for allegedly illegal tint levels. In a viral TikTok video, Sierra (@sierragraham_7) documented the moment she peeled tint off her windshield from inside the truck following the stop. The TikTok text overlay reads in part, “gets pulled over for ‘illegal’ tint I got a week ago.” Sierra later provided additional details to Motor1 about the incident. According to her statement to the outlet, the truck had “5% all around and 35% on the windshield. It was a warning, no ticket!” Sierra told Motor1. She explained that she had the tint installed just one week earlier while on vacation in Arizona by an installer she found through Facebook Marketplace. The experience does not appear to have changed her opinion on window tint. “I have since got a new car and will 100% be tinting again,” Sierra said. Car window tint and state law: It’s complicated She also told Motor1 her husband previously had a medical exemption related to his eyesight, but officers informed them that changes to Texas’s tint exemption system affected its validity. Texas has, in fact, changed how medical window tint exemptions work. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), the state no longer issues Window Tint Exemption Certificates. The change took effect on Jan. 1, 2019. Drivers who qualify for medical exemptions now generally rely on documentation from a licensed physician or optometrist rather than a state-issued certificate. Existing certificates issued before that date remain valid. @sierragraham_7 Live laugh love #windowtint #fyp ♬ original sound – Jc Sierra mentioned getting the tint in Arizona. Arizona law allows 33% tint on front side windows, while Texas strictly requires a minimum of 25%. Her 5% tint was illegal in both states, increasing the likelihood of a traffic stop. One of Sierra’s comments noted, “Get a medical permit,” adding the commenter had one for their migraines. According to the commenter, this allows them to have their front windows and entire windshield tinted. In Texas, even if you have a valid doctor’s note for a medical condition, you cannot put a dark tint on your front windshield. Medical exemptions only allow for a darker tint on your side windows. On the windshield, you are strictly limited to tinting the top 5 inches (above the manufacturer’s AS-1 line). Another commenter said they tinted their window more than four years ago and never got pulled over or questioned. “People asking why, reducing heat in the summer, don’t need sunglasses anymore,” and no intense glare at night from bright LED headlights. “10/10,” the comment said. If you coat the rest of the windshield, the film must be completely clear and untinted. Because Sierra used a dark 35% tint across her entire windshield, her setup was illegal under Texas law. Based on Sierra’s account, it remains unclear whether her husband’s exemption predated the 2019 policy change. It’s also unclear whether officers determined that additional documentation was required under the current rules. For drivers considering aftermarket tint, experts frequently recommend confirming that installers understand state-specific regulations. Tint laws vary widely from state to state, meaning a setup legal in one state may not comply with another state’s requirements.