KY · tint law reference
Kentucky window tint laws
Last verified September 13, 2026 · KRS 189.110
Confirm this one. We could not confirm every detail on the state's own site. Confirm with your state DMV before relying on this.
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.
| Window | Sedans | SUVs, vans & trucks |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield | Transparent sunscreen strip above AS/1 line permitted with no numeric limit; OR material applied in conjunction with windshield glazing allowed if combined light transmittance is at least 70% and material is not red or yellow | Same windshield rule as sedan |
| Front side | 35% VLT or lighter | 35% VLT or lighter |
| Back side | 18% VLT or lighter | 8% VLT or lighter |
| Rear | 18% VLT or lighter | 8% VLT or lighter |
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.
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
Front side windows: solar reflectance ≤25% (nonfilm side, on 1/8-in clear glass); windows behind driver (incl. rear): reflectance ≤35% (or, for perforated material, ≤35% overall/no single 16th-section >50%)
Colors
Red or yellow (windshield only, per (2)(c))
Medical exemption
Not present in the current text of KRS 189.110 (as amended eff. July 15, 2024) — no medical-exemption subsection exists in this statute as read directly. Third-party sites reference an older 'subsection (5)' medical exemption, but subsection (5) in the current statute actually addresses the rear-window mirror requirement, not a medical exemption. Could not confirm a current KY medical exemption from a primary source.
Stickers & certification
Mandatory: installer/seller must affix a pressure-sensitive, self-destructive, nonremovable vinyl-type label to the inside left door jamb stating compliance, trade name, and installer's/seller's business name. Not required for factory glazing compliant with FMVSS 205.
Measurement tolerance
±3% on every percentage measurement required by subsections (2)-(4)
Penalties
Violation is a Class B misdemeanor (subsection (9)); the statute itself does not state a dollar fine amount (general misdemeanor penalty statutes were not verified from a primary source for this report).
Notes
2024 amendment (eff. 7/15/2024) is the current law. Multipurpose passenger vehicles (SUV/van category) get a darker allowance (8% VLT / 35% reflectance) for windows behind the driver versus 18% for other vehicles; front side window standard (35% VLT/25% reflectance) applies to all vehicle types alike. Rear window tinted nontransparent requires dual side mirrors (subsection 5).
Kentucky tint questions
What is the darkest legal tint in Kentucky?
For a sedan in Kentucky, front side windows must let at least 35% of light through, back side windows at least 18%, and the rear window at least 18%. Lower VLT means darker glass, so those percentages are floors, not targets, and the meter reads the film and the factory glass together. SUVs, vans and trucks are listed separately: front side 35%, back side 8%, rear 8%.
Is 20% tint legal in Kentucky?
No, not on the front side windows. Kentucky 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. The back side windows have a 18% floor, so 20% film can be legal there.
Can I tint the windshield in Kentucky?
Kentucky's rule for the windshield: Transparent sunscreen strip above AS/1 line permitted with no numeric limit; OR material applied in conjunction with windshield glazing allowed if combined light transmittance is at least 70% and material is not red or yellow
Does Kentucky allow a medical exemption for darker tint?
What the source says: Not present in the current text of KRS 189.110 (as amended eff. July 15, 2024) — no medical-exemption subsection exists in this statute as read directly. Third-party sites reference an older 'subsection (5)' medical exemption, but subsection (5) in the current statute actually addresses the rear-window mirror requirement, not a medical exemption. Could not confirm a current KY medical exemption from a primary source. Confirm the current process with the agency named before you have film installed.
Do I need a tint sticker or certificate in Kentucky?
Mandatory: installer/seller must affix a pressure-sensitive, self-destructive, nonremovable vinyl-type label to the inside left door jamb stating compliance, trade name, and installer's/seller's business name. Not required for factory glazing compliant with FMVSS 205.
Where this comes from
Statute cited: KRS 189.110
Checked against the state's own statute or DMV page on September 13, 2026. Laws change; if you find a newer rule, email admin@getpeelboard.com.
Legal disclaimer: general information, not legal advice; verify with your DMV.