HI · tint law reference

Hawaii window tint laws

Last verified September 14, 2026 · Haw. Rev. Stat. § 291-21.5, as amended by Act 129, Session Laws of Hawaii 2025 (H.B. 226 H.D.3 S.D.1 C.D.1), effective upon approval May 29, 2025

Legal tint limits at a glance

VLT is the share of light the window must let through — a lower number is darker film, and the reading includes the factory glass.

Hawaii window tint limits by window and vehicle type
Window	Sedans	SUVs, vans & trucks
Windshield	Transparent sun screening film along the top edge of the windshield only, so long as it does not encroach on the AS-1 portion per FMVSS 205, or no lower than 4 inches below the top of the windshield measured from the middle of the bottom edge of the top windshield moulding if no AS-1 marking can be found (§ 291-21.5(e)(6)); transparent sun screening materials meeting FMVSS 205 may also be applied to the AS-1 portion itself ((e)(11)). Adjustable nontransparent sun visors mounted forward of the side windows are permitted ((e)(2)), as are 7-inch and 5-inch corner stickers ((e)(3)).	Same as sedan
Front side	35% VLT or lighter	35% VLT or lighter
Back side	No VLT limit	No VLT limit
Rear	No VLT limit	No VLT limit

Dual side mirrors required if the rear is tinted? Yes — this state requires dual outside mirrors when the rear window is tinted.

Is my tint legal here?

Film darkness and glass darkness multiply. Enter the film you are considering and the VLT of the bare glass to get the number a meter would read.

Film VLT %

Factory glass VLT %

70 for tinted OEM glass, 80 for clear

Vehicle

Net VLT 14% 20% film × 70% glass

Pass/fail compares net VLT against the limits on this page only. Some states apply a measurement tolerance — see Measurement tolerance below — and none of this replaces a meter reading on your own glass.

The rest of the rule

Reflectivity

No numeric reflectance limit. § 291-21.5(b)(2) bars installing, mounting, adhering, affixing or using any sun screening device with mirrored or high reflective finishes that produce a red, yellow, amber or blue appearance as viewed from the exterior. § 291-21.5(g) lets the Department of Transportation adopt rules establishing standard criteria or visual references for enforcing the tint color and reflectivity prohibitions.

Colors

Mirrored or high reflective finishes that produce a red, yellow, amber or blue appearance as viewed from outside the vehicle (§ 291-21.5(b)(2)).

Medical exemption

None — § 291-21.5 as amended by Act 129 contains no medical-exemption provision; the exemption list in subsection (e) is device- and window-based only. tinting-laws.com agrees that Hawaii allows no medical exemption; windowtintlaws.us wrongly reports one.

Stickers & certification

Mandatory certificate (not a sticker) — § 291-21.5(f): the installer must issue a certificate to the vehicle owner at the time the sunscreen device is installed certifying that the device complies with law. Failure to issue it is itself a violation. The certificate must be stored in the motor vehicle at all times, and its absence at the time of citation is prima facie evidence of installer noncompliance.

Measurement tolerance

±6% — built into the standard, which reads "no less than thirty-five per cent plus or minus six per cent" (§ 291-21.5(e)(7),(8))

Penalties

§ 291-21.5(f): owner of the offending vehicle — fine no less than $300 and no more than $550 per separate offense; installer — no less than $700 and no more than $1,200 per separate offense, plus the installer must reinstall compliant sun protective devices free of charge or reimburse the owner for another installer's cost. The receipt in the vehicle's occupant's possession at citation is prima facie evidence of the installer's identity. Any violator is also liable for removal of the offending device (§ 291-21.5(b)).

Notes

Act 129 is a substantial rewrite and the prior record read it wrong in two ways. (1) The front-side minimum was NOT lowered from 35% to 20% — the Act only "clarifies the light transmittance levels" and the enacted text still reads "no less than thirty-five per cent plus or minus six per cent" for front side wing vents and windows ((e)(7)) and for front side windows and wing windows adjacent to the driver ((e)(8)). (2) The real change behind the driver is that sedans were folded into an exemption vans, minivans, trucks and buses already had: (e)(9) now exempts "Rear windows, including the rear windshield on sedans, vans, minivans, trucks, buses, or other motor vehicles; and side windows to the rear of the driver on sedans, vans, minivans, trucks, or buses; provided that the vehicles are equipped with rearview mirrors on both sides." So with dual side mirrors present, every listed vehicle type — sedans included — may run any darkness behind the driver. Act 129 also added a duty for all drivers and passengers of vehicles with applied tint to fully roll their windows down when stopped by a law enforcement officer, excepting those physically unable or facing mechanical failure if they cooperate by other means, cited as a noncriminal traffic infraction ((d)); and the safety inspection under § 286-26 must test glazing and sun screening compliance ((c)). Both major secondary summaries are stale — each still publishes 35% for a sedan's back side and rear windows.

Hawaii tint questions

What is the darkest legal tint in Hawaii?

For a sedan in Hawaii, front side windows must let at least 35% of light through, no number is stated for the back side windows, and none for the rear window. Lower VLT means darker glass, so those percentages are floors, not targets, and the meter reads the film and the factory glass together.

Is 20% tint legal in Hawaii?

No, not on the front side windows. Hawaii requires at least 35% VLT there and 20% is darker than that, before you even account for the factory glass, which makes the reading darker still. Behind the driver the statute states no VLT number, so 20% may be allowed on the back side and rear windows — read the notes on this page and confirm with the DMV.

Can I tint the windshield in Hawaii?

Hawaii's rule for the windshield: Transparent sun screening film along the top edge of the windshield only, so long as it does not encroach on the AS-1 portion per FMVSS 205, or no lower than 4 inches below the top of the windshield measured from the middle of the bottom edge of the top windshield moulding if no AS-1 marking can be found (§ 291-21.5(e)(6)); transparent sun screening materials meeting FMVSS 205 may also be applied to the AS-1 portion itself ((e)(11)). Adjustable nontransparent sun visors mounted forward of the side windows are permitted ((e)(2)), as are 7-inch and 5-inch corner stickers ((e)(3)).

Does Hawaii allow a medical exemption for darker tint?

What the source says: None — § 291-21.5 as amended by Act 129 contains no medical-exemption provision; the exemption list in subsection (e) is device- and window-based only. tinting-laws.com agrees that Hawaii allows no medical exemption; windowtintlaws.us wrongly reports one. Confirm the current process with the agency named before you have film installed.

Do I need a tint sticker or certificate in Hawaii?

Mandatory certificate (not a sticker) — § 291-21.5(f): the installer must issue a certificate to the vehicle owner at the time the sunscreen device is installed certifying that the device complies with law. Failure to issue it is itself a violation. The certificate must be stored in the motor vehicle at all times, and its absence at the time of citation is prima facie evidence of installer noncompliance.

Nearby states

Hawaii does not border another US jurisdiction. See all 51 tint laws.

Where this comes from

Statute cited: Haw. Rev. Stat. § 291-21.5, as amended by Act 129, Session Laws of Hawaii 2025 (H.B. 226 H.D.3 S.D.1 C.D.1), effective upon approval May 29, 2025

Checked against the state's own statute or DMV page on September 14, 2026. Laws change; if you find a newer rule, email admin@getpeelboard.com.

Legal disclaimer: general information, not legal advice; verify with your DMV.

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