NC · tint law reference
North Carolina window tint laws
Last verified September 14, 2026 · N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-127
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 | The windshield may be tinted only along the top, and the tinting may not extend more than five inches below the top of the windshield or below the AS1 line, whichever measurement is longer. An untinted clear film that does not obstruct vision but reduces or eliminates ultraviolet radiation may be applied to the windshield. | The windshield may be tinted only along the top, and the tinting may not extend more than five inches below the top of the windshield or below the AS1 line, whichever measurement is longer. An untinted clear film that does not obstruct vision but reduces or eliminates ultraviolet radiation may be applied to the windshield. |
| Front side | 35% VLT or lighter | 35% VLT or lighter |
| Back side | 35% VLT or lighter | No VLT limit |
| Rear | 35% VLT or lighter | No VLT limit |
Dual side mirrors required if the rear is tinted? No — this state does not tie a mirror requirement to rear tint.
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
§ 20-127(b)(2): "The light reflectance of the tinted window shall be twenty percent (20%) or less." Separately, (b)(3) requires that the tinting film or material be nonreflective. The (c) exception list suspends only (b)(1) and (b)(2), so the (b)(3) nonreflective requirement applies to every window on every vehicle, including a multipurpose vehicle's windows behind the driver.
Colors
§ 20-127(b)(3): tinting film or material "shall be nonreflective and shall not be red, yellow, or amber." This applies without exception on all vehicle types.
Medical exemption
Yes. § 20-127(f): a person who suffers from a medical condition causing photosensitivity to visible light may obtain a medical exception permit by applying in writing to the Drivers Medical Evaluation Program with a doctor-completed DMV medical evaluation form. The permit is valid five years (or less if directed), renewal requires medical recertification, and no more than four permits may be valid at one time. The permit specifies the vehicle, the windows that may be tinted, and the permitted tint levels, and must be carried in the vehicle.
Stickers & certification
Medical exception permit holders are given a DMV sticker for the lower left-hand corner of the rear window, placed between the window and the tinting; failure to display it is an infraction punishable by a $200 fine. No certification or label requirement exists for ordinary compliant tint.
Measurement tolerance
A window that measures more than 32% total light transmission on a light meter approved by the Commissioner is conclusively presumed to meet the 35% minimum (§ 20-127(b)(1)).
Penalties
Class 3 misdemeanor for either applying tint to a window on an inspection-subject vehicle that does not meet the restrictions, or driving a vehicle with a non-compliant window (§ 20-127(d)). Defense under (e): the tinting was removed within 15 days after the charge and the driver produces a DMV or Highway Patrol certificate of compliance.
Notes
The 35% VLT and 20% reflectance restrictions in (b)(1) and (b)(2) do not apply to a window of a multipurpose vehicle that is behind the driver — "A multipurpose vehicle is a passenger vehicle that is designed to carry 10 or fewer passengers and either is constructed on a truck chassis or has special features designed for occasional off-road operation. A minivan and a pickup truck are multipurpose vehicles." Those windows may be any darkness, but must still be nonreflective and not red, yellow, or amber. Other (c) exceptions: excursion passenger vehicles, motor homes, ambulances, limousines, law enforcement vehicles, the rear window of a property-hauling vehicle, out-of-state vehicles meeting their home state's rules, and medical-exception-permit vehicles. The windshield restriction applies without exception to every vehicle type. Subsection (b1) requires vehicles subject to 49 C.F.R. Part 393 to comply with that Part instead. Subsection (g) requires the driver of a tinted vehicle to roll down the driver's window (or the passenger window if the officer approaches from that side) when a law enforcement officer approaches. tintlaws.com publishes a flat 35% for SUVs and misses the (c)(9) multipurpose-vehicle exception; both secondary sources assert a dual-side-mirror requirement that does not appear anywhere in § 20-127.
North Carolina tint questions
What is the darkest legal tint in North Carolina?
For a sedan in North Carolina, front side windows must let at least 35% of light through, back side windows at least 35%, and the rear window at least 35%. 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 no VLT limit, rear no VLT limit.
Is 20% tint legal in North Carolina?
No, not on the front side windows. North Carolina 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 35% floor, so 20% is too dark there too.
Can I tint the windshield in North Carolina?
North Carolina's rule for the windshield: The windshield may be tinted only along the top, and the tinting may not extend more than five inches below the top of the windshield or below the AS1 line, whichever measurement is longer. An untinted clear film that does not obstruct vision but reduces or eliminates ultraviolet radiation may be applied to the windshield.
Does North Carolina allow a medical exemption for darker tint?
What the source says: Yes. § 20-127(f): a person who suffers from a medical condition causing photosensitivity to visible light may obtain a medical exception permit by applying in writing to the Drivers Medical Evaluation Program with a doctor-completed DMV medical evaluation form. The permit is valid five years (or less if directed), renewal requires medical recertification, and no more than four permits may be valid at one time. The permit specifies the vehicle, the windows that may be tinted, and the permitted tint levels, and must be carried in the vehicle. Confirm the current process with the agency named before you have film installed.
Do I need a tint sticker or certificate in North Carolina?
Medical exception permit holders are given a DMV sticker for the lower left-hand corner of the rear window, placed between the window and the tinting; failure to display it is an infraction punishable by a $200 fine. No certification or label requirement exists for ordinary compliant tint.
Where this comes from
Statute cited: N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-127
- ncleg.govhttps://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_20/GS_20-127.html
- ncleg.govhttps://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/PDF/BySection/Chapter_20/GS_20-127.pdf
- tinting-laws.comhttps://www.tinting-laws.com/north-carolina/
- tintlaws.comhttps://www.tintlaws.com/north-carolina
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.