Section 42-4-227 - Windows unobstructed - certain materials prohibited - windshield wiper requirements(1)(a)(I) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph (a), no person shall operate a motor vehicle registered in Colorado on which any window, except the windshield, is composed of, covered by, or treated with any material or component that presents an opaque, nontransparent, or metallic or mirrored appearance in such a way that it allows less than twenty-seven percent light transmittance. The windshield shall allow at least seventy percent light transmittance.(II) Notwithstanding subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (a), the windows to the rear of the driver, including the rear window, may allow less than twenty-seven percent light transmittance if the front side windows and the windshield on such vehicles allow at least seventy percent light transmittance.(III) A law enforcement vehicle may have its windows, except the windshield, treated in such a manner so as to allow less than twenty-seven percent light transmittance only for the purpose of providing a valid law enforcement service. A law enforcement vehicle with such window treatment shall not be used for any traffic law enforcement operations, including operations concerning any offense in this article. For purposes of this subparagraph (III), "law enforcement vehicle" means a vehicle owned or leased by a state or local law enforcement agency. The treatment of the windshield of a law enforcement vehicle is subject to the limits described in paragraph (b) of this subsection (1).(b) Notwithstanding any provision of paragraph (a) of this subsection (1), nontransparent material may be applied, installed, or affixed to the topmost portion of the windshield subject to the following:(I) The bottom edge of the material extends no more than four inches measured from the top of the windshield down;(II) The material is not red or amber in color, nor does it affect perception of primary colors or otherwise distort vision or contain lettering that distorts or obstructs vision;(III) The material does not reflect sunlight or headlight glare into the eyes of occupants of oncoming or preceding vehicles to any greater extent than the windshield without the material.(c) Nothing in this subsection (1) shall be construed to prevent the use of any window which is composed of, covered by, or treated with any material or component in a manner approved by federal statute or regulation if such window was included as a component part of a vehicle at the time of the vehicle manufacture, or the replacement of any such window by such covering which meets such guidelines.(d) No material shall be used on any window in the motor vehicle that presents a metallic or mirrored appearance.(e) Nothing in this subsection (1) shall be construed to deny or prevent the use of certificates or other papers which do not obstruct the view of the driver and which may be required by law to be displayed.(2) The windshield on every motor vehicle shall be equipped with a device for cleaning rain, snow, or other moisture from the windshield, which device shall be so constructed as to be controlled or operated by the driver of the vehicle.(3)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection (3), any person who violates any provision of this section commits a class B traffic infraction.(b) Any person who installs, covers, or treats a windshield or window so that the windshield or window does not meet the requirements of subsection (1)(a) of this section commits a class A traffic infraction.(4) This section shall apply to all motor vehicles; except that subsection (2) of this section shall not apply to low-speed electric vehicles.Amended by 2021 Ch. 462,§723, eff. 3/1/2022.L. 94: Entire title amended with relocations, p. 2261, § 1, effective January 1, 1995. L. 95: (3) amended, p. 952, § 6, effective May 25. L. 2009: (4) amended, (SB 09-075), ch. 2324, p. 2324, § 13, effective August 5. L. 2011: (1)(a) amended, (HB 11-1251), ch. 499, p. 499, § 1, effective May 4. L. 2021: (3)(b) amended, (SB 21-271), ch. 3304, p. 3304, § 723, effective March 1, 2022.(1) This section is similar to former § 42-4-224 as it existed prior to 1994, and the former § 42-4-227 was relocated to §42-4-230.
(2) Section 803(2) of chapter 462 (SB 21-271), Session Laws of Colorado 2021, provides that the act changing this section applies to offenses committed on or after March 1, 2022.
2021 Ch. 462, was passed without a safety clause. See Colo. Const. art. V, § 1(3).