IN · tint law reference

Indiana window tint laws

Last verified September 14, 2026 · Ind. Code § 9-19-19-4 (penalty at § 9-19-19-8)

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.

Indiana window tint limits by window and vehicle type
Window Sedans SUVs, vans & trucks
Windshield Sunscreening treatment on the windshield may be applied only to the uppermost part and may extend no further than the AS-1 line (§ 9-19-19-4(d)); within that strip the film must still meet the 30% VLT / 25% reflectance standard of § 9-19-19-4(c) Same as sedan — § 9-19-19-4 draws no distinction by vehicle type
Front side 30% VLT or lighter 30% VLT or lighter
Back side No VLT limit No VLT limit
Rear 30% VLT or lighter 30% VLT or lighter

Dual side mirrors required if the rear is tinted? Not stated in the sources we checked.

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.

70 for tinted OEM glass, 80 for clear

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

    Total solar reflectance of visible light not more than 25%, measured on the nonfilm side (§ 9-19-19-4(c))

    Colors

    None — Ind. Code § 9-19-19-4 contains no color restriction.

    Medical exemption

    Yes — § 9-19-19-4(b): the section does not apply to the driver of a vehicle that is owned by an individual required for medical reasons to be shielded from the direct rays of the sun, or in which such an individual is a habitual passenger. The medical reasons must be attested to by a physician or optometrist licensed to practice in Indiana; the certification must be carried in the vehicle and must be renewed annually. An installer who is given that statement before doing the work does not violate the chapter (§ 9-19-19-4(e)).

    Stickers & certification

    No aftermarket compliance sticker. For the factory-glazing exemption in § 9-19-19-4(a), proof from the manufacturer, supplier, or installer that the tinting or glazing complies with or is permitted by FMVSS 205 must be carried in the vehicle.

    Measurement tolerance

    This state does not state a measurement tolerance in the sources we checked.

    Penalties

    § 9-19-19-8: "A person who violates section 4(e) of this chapter commits a Class A infraction" — that is the provision aimed at whoever performs the tinting or sunscreening. Chapter 19 states no separate penalty for the operator's own violation of § 9-19-19-4(c) or (d). Under § 9-19-19-4(f) a vehicle may be stopped to determine compliance, but the vehicle, its contents, the driver, or a passenger may not be inspected, searched, or detained solely because of a violation of the section.

    Notes

    The scope of the 30% VLT / 25% reflectance standard is narrower than every secondary summary reports, and narrower than the prior record assumed. § 9-19-19-4(c) reaches exactly four items: a windshield, a side wing, a side window that is part of a front door, and a rear back window. The rear back window (rear windshield) IS covered, so 30% applies there. Side windows that are not part of a front door — rear-door and quarter windows — are not named in (c), so no minimum VLT applies to them. Both secondary sources get this wrong in opposite directions: tinting-laws.com prints 30% for a sedan's back side windows and rear window but claims "any darkness" applied some unspecified distance from the top for SUVs and vans; windowtintlaws.us prints a flat 30% for back side windows and the rear window on all vehicle types and describes a "top 5 inches" windshield allowance the statute does not contain. The prior record's framing of the 30%/25% combination as an affirmative "defense" to a general identifiability prohibition was also wrong — § 9-19-19-4(c) is a flat prohibition in its own terms, and the "occupants cannot easily be recognized" language it referred to is not in the current section. Section last amended by P.L.164-2018, SEC.9.

    Indiana tint questions

    What is the darkest legal tint in Indiana?

    For a sedan in Indiana, front side windows must let at least 30% of light through, no number is stated for the back side windows, and the rear window at least 30%. 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 Indiana?

    No, not on the front side windows. Indiana requires at least 30% VLT there and 20% is darker than that, before you even account for the factory glass, which makes the reading darker still.

    Can I tint the windshield in Indiana?

    Indiana's rule for the windshield: Sunscreening treatment on the windshield may be applied only to the uppermost part and may extend no further than the AS-1 line (§ 9-19-19-4(d)); within that strip the film must still meet the 30% VLT / 25% reflectance standard of § 9-19-19-4(c)

    Does Indiana allow a medical exemption for darker tint?

    What the source says: Yes — § 9-19-19-4(b): the section does not apply to the driver of a vehicle that is owned by an individual required for medical reasons to be shielded from the direct rays of the sun, or in which such an individual is a habitual passenger. The medical reasons must be attested to by a physician or optometrist licensed to practice in Indiana; the certification must be carried in the vehicle and must be renewed annually. An installer who is given that statement before doing the work does not violate the chapter (§ 9-19-19-4(e)). Confirm the current process with the agency named before you have film installed.

    Do I need a tint sticker or certificate in Indiana?

    No aftermarket compliance sticker. For the factory-glazing exemption in § 9-19-19-4(a), proof from the manufacturer, supplier, or installer that the tinting or glazing complies with or is permitted by FMVSS 205 must be carried in the vehicle.

    Nearby states

    Where this comes from

    Statute cited: Ind. Code § 9-19-19-4 (penalty at § 9-19-19-8)

    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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