Michigan Windshield Mounting Laws (2026 Guide)

Michigan law (MCL 257.709) allows drivers to mount a dashcam, GPS, or phone on the windshield provided the device does not obstruct the driver's clear view of the road. A second statute, MCL 257.708b(3), adds a placement rule aimed at aftermarket navigation and vehicle-information displays: they may be mounted on the windshield or above the dashboard, but not within the deployment profile of the vehicle's airbags. Michigan sets no size limit, and a position behind the rearview mirror satisfies both rules most easily.

Michigan drivers need to understand both the state's windshield obstruction law and its newer hands-free driving law. Together, these statutes control what you can mount on your windshield and how you can use electronic devices behind the wheel.

This guide breaks down the exact statutes, permitted devices, penalties, exemptions, and how the 2023 hands-free law changed the rules for phone mounts in Michigan.

Michigan Windshield Obstruction Law (MCL 257.709)

The primary statute governing windshield-mounted devices in Michigan is MCL 257.709, part of the Michigan Vehicle Code (Act 300 of 1949). This section regulates windshields, windows, mirrors, and equipment visibility requirements.

What the Law Prohibits

Under MCL 257.709(1), a person cannot operate a motor vehicle with any of the following on the front windshield, the side windows next to the driver or front passenger, or the sidewings forward of the driver or front passenger:

• Signs or posters
• Nontransparent material
• Window applications
• Reflective film
• Nonreflective film

The statute also prohibits any "object that obstructs the vision of the driver of the vehicle, except as authorized by law." This catch-all provision is the legal basis for enforcement against improperly mounted devices.

The Obstruction Standard

MCL 257.709 does not set a specific size limit or placement zone for windshield-mounted devices. Instead, this section applies a functional test: does the object obstruct the driver's vision? A small GPS unit mounted near the corner of the windshield would not typically violate this standard. A large tablet mounted in the center of the windshield likely would.

This approach gives drivers more flexibility than states with strict measurement rules, but it also gives law enforcement more discretion in deciding what counts as an obstruction.

Section 709 is not the only rule that matters, though. A separate section of the vehicle code, MCL 257.708b, sets a device-specific placement limit for aftermarket navigation and vehicle-information displays. That rule is covered in the next section.

GPS and Navigation Device Mounts

Michigan law permits GPS and navigation devices on the windshield as long as they do not obstruct your view of the road. A second statute, MCL 257.708b, addresses these devices directly.

MCL 257.708b(1) bars operating a motor vehicle with a television or similar electronic device that displays a video image the operator can view while the vehicle is in motion. Subsection (2)(b) excepts "a vehicle information or navigation system for use in displaying only information pertaining to vehicle location, available routes and destinations, road layouts, weather conditions, traffic and road conditions, vehicle conditions, or traveler services."

Subsection (3) then sets where an aftermarket device of that kind may go. It "may be installed or mounted on the windshield or above the dashboard, but shall not be mounted within the deployment profile of the vehicle airbags or in a manner that interferes with the operator's view or control."

So a windshield-mounted GPS is expressly permitted in Michigan, subject to two limits: keep it out of the airbag deployment zone, and keep it from interfering with your view or control of the vehicle. A violation of section 708b is a civil infraction under MCL 257.708b(5).

Best Placement Practices

To stay within the law and avoid a traffic stop:

• Keep the mount clear of the airbag deployment profile. A passenger front airbag typically deploys upward out of the dashboard and against the lower passenger area of the windshield, which makes that corner a poor choice under MCL 257.708b(3)
• Keep the device as small as reasonably possible
• Make sure the mount does not block your view of traffic, signals, or road signs
• Avoid placing devices directly in front of the steering wheel

A GPS or phone mounted behind the rearview mirror keeps the device out of your primary line of sight and away from the airbag deployment zone, which makes it the safest default placement in Michigan.

Phone Mounts and the Hands-Free Law (MCL 257.602b)

Michigan's hands-free law, codified at MCL 257.602b, took effect on June 30, 2023. This law fundamentally changed how Michigan drivers can use mobile phones in vehicles.

What the Law Requires

Under MCL 257.602b, a driver cannot hold or use a mobile electronic device while operating a motor vehicle. This prohibition covers:

• Making or receiving phone calls by hand
• Texting or typing
• Watching videos
• Browsing the internet or social media
• Any manual interaction with the device

The Mount Exception

The law explicitly permits the use of a mobile electronic device that is "placed in a mount." When your phone is in a windshield mount, dashboard mount, or vent mount, you may:

• Use voice commands or voice-operated features
• Activate or deactivate a feature with a single button press, tap, or swipe
• Use navigation apps
• Take hands-free calls

This means a windshield-mounted phone is not just legal in Michigan but is the recommended way to use your phone while driving. The mount must hold the device securely so you do not need to hold it in your hand.

Penalties for Hands-Free Law Violations

The fines for violating Michigan's hands-free law under MCL 257.602b increase with each offense:

Drivers with three or more violations within a three-year period must complete a basic driver improvement course. Community service of 16 hours (first offense) or 24 hours (subsequent offenses) may also be ordered.

Dashcam Mounting Rules

Dashcams are legal in Michigan, but the same obstruction standard from MCL 257.709 applies. A dashcam cannot be mounted in a position that obstructs the driver's clear view of the highway.

Recommended Dashcam Placement

The best location for a dashcam in Michigan is behind the rearview mirror, where the camera has a clear view of the road without blocking the driver's line of sight. The area where the factory tint strip meets the clear glass is an ideal spot.

Mounting a dashcam on the dashboard is also acceptable and avoids any windshield obstruction concerns entirely.

Commercial Vehicle Exception

Under MCL 257.709(6), trucks with a gross weight over 10,000 pounds, truck tractors, buses, and trucks carrying hazardous materials that require placards have separate equipment requirements. These vehicles must be equipped with a hot air windshield defroster, electrically heated windshield, or another device to keep the windshield in operable condition. The obstruction rules for these vehicles are evaluated differently.

Audio Recording Notice

Michigan's eavesdropping statute, MCL 750.539c, makes it a felony to use a device to eavesdrop on a private conversation without the consent of all parties to it. In practice, Michigan is treated as a one-party consent state because that provision targets eavesdropping on a conversation by someone who is not a party to it, not a participant recording their own conversation. If your dashcam captures audio of a conversation you are part of, you generally satisfy the one-party consent standard courts have applied; audio captured of a conversation you are not part of falls under the statute's stricter all-party consent language. You do not need to notify passengers that audio is being recorded, though doing so is a common courtesy.

Windshield Tint Regulations

MCL 257.709 also governs windshield tinting in Michigan. The rules are straightforward:

Windshield Tint Strip

A non-reflective tint strip is permitted along the top edge of the windshield. The tint cannot extend more than 4 inches from the top of the windshield, or lower than the factory shade band, whichever is closer to the top.

Front Side Windows

The front side windows (next to the driver and front passenger) and the sidewings follow the same 4-inch rule for tint strips. Michigan does not permit aftermarket tint on the main viewing area of the front side windows.

Rear Windows

Rear side windows and the rear windshield may have any level of tint darkness. However, the tint material cannot create a total solar reflectance of 35% or more in the visible light range. Silver and gold reflective films are specifically banned on all windows.

Medical Exemption for Window Tint

Under MCL 257.709(3)(e), a driver or passenger with a light-sensitive or photosensitive medical condition may use a special window treatment that would otherwise violate the tinting rules. To qualify:

• A physician or optometrist must determine the treatment is medically necessary
• The vehicle owner or operator must carry a signed letter from the physician or optometrist
• The window treatment cannot interfere with or obstruct the driver's clear vision of the highway or intersecting highways

Toll Transponders and Stickers

Michigan does not operate a statewide toll road system, so toll transponders are not a common windshield item. However, drivers who travel to toll states (like Ohio, Indiana, or Illinois) may have transponders such as E-ZPass mounted on their windshields.

These small transponders are generally permitted under MCL 257.709 because they are small, transparent or nearly transparent, and do not obstruct the driver's view. No specific Michigan statute addresses toll transponder placement.

Exemptions from Windshield Restrictions

MCL 257.709 includes several exemptions from the general prohibition on windshield materials:

Penalties for Windshield Violations

A violation of MCL 257.709 is a civil infraction under Michigan law, because MCL 257.683(6) makes a violation of any provision in sections 683 to 711 a civil infraction. Equipment violations in this section carry the following consequences:

• Fine: Up to $100 for a standard civil infraction under MCL 257.907
• Points: Zero. Defective equipment violations do not add points to your driving record
• Fix-it option: MCL 257.907(9) requires the court to waive the civil fine, costs, and assessments when a person "has received a civil infraction citation for defective safety equipment on a vehicle under section 683," once a law enforcement agency certifies that the repair was made before the appearance date on the citation. MCL 257.683(2) lets an officer who finds a defect in equipment issue a citation "for a violation of a provision of sections 683 to 711," a range that includes section 709.

Whether the waiver reaches a given windshield citation therefore turns on the phrase "defective safety equipment," not on the section number. A broken or missing piece of required equipment fits that description more naturally than an accessory a driver chose to stick to the glass, and Michigan courts have not settled the point. Do not assume the fine will be waived automatically for removing the item. Ask the issuing court what repair or dismissal options apply to your citation.

Kelsey's Law: Teen Driver Restrictions (MCL 257.602c)

Michigan's Kelsey's Law, named after Kelsey Raffaele who died in a cellphone-related crash in 2010, imposes stricter rules on young drivers.

Under MCL 257.602c, drivers with a Level 1 or Level 2 graduated license cannot use a cellular telephone while operating a motor vehicle. This restriction applies regardless of whether the phone is mounted or used hands-free. The only exceptions are calls to report:

• A traffic accident
• A medical emergency
• A serious road hazard
• A situation where the driver believes their personal safety is in jeopardy

A violation results in a civil infraction. MCL 257.320a specifically excludes section 602c from Michigan's point system, so a Kelsey's Law violation adds zero points to the teen's driving record. Unlike a Level 1 supervised-driving or Level 2 curfew-and-passenger violation, a Kelsey's Law violation is not among the violations MCL 257.310e specifically lists as extending the graduated license's provisional period, and the statute does not require a driver reexamination. Whether such a violation could still count as a generic moving violation for graduated-license purposes is not settled by the statute's text, so cautious teen drivers should not treat the zero-points rule as making a citation consequence-free.

This means that even though a windshield phone mount is legal for adult drivers in Michigan, teen drivers with a graduated license cannot use a mounted phone while driving.

How Michigan Compares to Neighboring States

Michigan's approach to windshield mounting is more permissive than some neighboring states:

Michigan's functional "does it obstruct" test gives drivers more flexibility than states that impose strict size or placement zones. However, it also means enforcement can vary between officers and jurisdictions.

Recent Legal Changes

2023: Hands-Free Law (Public Act 38 of 2023)

The most significant recent change affecting windshield mounts was the hands-free law that took effect June 30, 2023. Before this law, Michigan only prohibited texting while driving. The new law bans all handheld phone use, making windshield mounts and other hands-free accessories essential for legal phone use while driving.

No Changes to MCL 257.709

The core windshield obstruction statute has not been amended recently. The law remains focused on the functional obstruction standard rather than specific device measurements or placement rules.

More Michigan Laws

• Michigan Recording Laws
• Michigan Lemon Law
• Michigan Hit and Run Laws
• Michigan Car Seat Laws