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HF766 • 2026

A bill for an act relating to motor vehicle window tint, and making penalties applicable. (Formerly HF 206 .) Effective date: 07/01/2026.

A bill for an act relating to motor vehicle window tint, and making penalties applicable. (Formerly HF 206 .) Effective date: 07/01/2026.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Last action
2026-05-15
Official status
Signed by Governor . H.J. 05/15 .
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify the exact penalties applicable for breaking these rules.

Motor Vehicle Window Tint Law

This law sets rules for how dark car windows can be and makes penalties applicable.

What This Bill Does

  • Sets a rule that front windshields must let in at least 70% of light.
  • Requires side windows next to the driver or forward of them to allow at least 50% of light through.
  • Exempts law enforcement officers using vehicles owned or leased by government agencies from these rules if needed for their work.
  • Gives the department power to make rules about measuring how much light goes through car windows.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Drivers who want to tint their car windows
  • Law enforcement officers using vehicles owned or leased by government agencies

Terms To Know

transparency
How much light can pass through a window.
light transmittance
The amount of light that passes through glass or other materials.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify what happens if someone breaks the rules about how dark windows can be.
  • Does not explain exactly how law enforcement agencies will decide when darker windows are needed for their work.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-15 Iowa Legislature

    Signed by Governor . H.J. 05/15 .

  2. 2026-05-06 Iowa Legislature

    Reported correctly enrolled, signed by Speaker and President, and sent to Governor. H.J. 05/06 .

  3. 2026-03-24 Iowa Legislature

    Message from Senate. H.J. 726 .

  4. 2026-03-23 Iowa Legislature

    Immediate message. S.J. 624 .

  5. 2026-03-23 Iowa Legislature

    Passed Senate , yeas 31, nays 16. S.J. 623 .

  6. 2026-02-11 Iowa Legislature

    Placed on calendar.

  7. 2026-02-11 Iowa Legislature

    Committee report, recommending passage. S.J. 263 .

  8. 2026-02-04 Iowa Legislature

    Subcommittee recommends passage.

  9. 2026-01-29 Iowa Legislature

    Subcommittee Meeting: 02/04/2026 11:30AM Senate Lounge.

  10. 2026-01-27 Iowa Legislature

    Subcommittee reassigned: Warme, Townsend, and Zumbach. S.J. 149 .

  11. 2026-01-27 Iowa Legislature

    * * * * * END OF 2025 ACTIONS * * * * *

  12. 2025-04-22 Iowa Legislature

    Explanation of vote. H.J. 1034 .

  13. 2025-04-15 Iowa Legislature

    Explanation of vote. H.J. 945 .

  14. 2025-03-27 Iowa Legislature

    Subcommittee: Klimesh, Townsend, and Zumbach. S.J. 660 .

  15. 2025-03-26 Iowa Legislature

    Referred to Transportation. S.J. 655 .

  16. 2025-03-25 Iowa Legislature

    Read first time, passed on file. S.J. 637 .

  17. 2025-03-25 Iowa Legislature

    Message from House. S.J. 637 .

  18. 2025-03-25 Iowa Legislature

    Immediate message. H.J. 809 .

  19. 2025-03-25 Iowa Legislature

    Passed House , yeas 72, nays 25. H.J. 797 .

  20. 2025-03-25 Iowa Legislature

    Amendment H-1120 withdrawn. H.J. 796 .

  21. 2025-03-18 Iowa Legislature

    Amendment H-1120 filed. H.J. 721 .

  22. 2025-03-05 Iowa Legislature

    Introduced, placed on calendar. H.J. 516 .

Official Summary Text

A bill for an act relating to motor vehicle window tint, and making penalties applicable. (Formerly HF 206 .) Effective date: 07/01/2026.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
STATE OF IOWA
KIM REYNOLDS
GOVERNOR
May 15,2026
The Honorable Paul Pate
Secretary of State of Iowa
State Capitol
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Dear Mr. Secretary,
I hereby transmit:
House File 766, an Act relating to motor vehicle window tint, and making penalties
applicable.
The above House File is hereby approved on this date.
Governor of Io'
cc: Secretary of the Senate
Clerk of the House
STATE CAPITOL DES MOINES, IOWA 50319 515.281.5211 WWW.GOVERNOR.IOWA.GOV
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House File 766
AN ACT
RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLE WINDOW TINT, AND MAKING PENALTIES
APPLICABLE.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
Section 1. Section 321.438, subsection 2, Code 2025, is
amended to read as follows:
2. a, A person shall not operate on the highway a motor
vehicle equipped with a-front windshi e ld, a any of the
following ;
(1) A front windshield that meets a minimum standard of
transparency of less than seventy percent light transmittance.
( 2 ) A side window to the immediate right or left of the
driver, or a sidewing forward of and to the left or right of the
driver which is e xc e ssiv e ly dark or r e flectiv e so that it i s
difficult for— a- p e r s on outside th e motor v e hicle to sec into
th e motor v e hicl e through th e windshi e ld, — window, — or sid e wing,
that meets a minimum standard of transparency of less than
fifty percent light transmittance .
a-. - The d e partm e nt shall adopt rules establishing a minimum
m e asurabl e standard of transparency which shall apply to
violations of this subsection.
b. This subsection does not apply to a person who operates
a motor vehicle owned or leased by a federal, state, or local
House File 766, p. 2
law enforcement agency if the operation is part of the person's
official duties. _
PÄT GRASSLE, AMY SINCLAIR
Speaker of^the House President of the Senate
I hereby certify that this bill originated in
is known as House File 766, Ninety-first General
the House and
Assembly .
MEGHAN NELSON
Chief yClerk of the House
App roved , 2026
Kim Reynolds /A
Governor