VA · tint law reference

Virginia window tint laws

Last verified September 14, 2026 · Va. Code §§ 46.2-1052 and 46.2-1053

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.

Virginia window tint limits by window and vehicle type
Window Sedans SUVs, vans & trucks
Windshield No film or darkening material on the windshield except to replace the manufacturer-installed sunshield in the uppermost area; clear (non-darkening) film may be applied if maintained consistent with 49 C.F.R. § 571.205 (FMVSS 205). There is no legal aftermarket dark strip above the AS-1 line. Same as sedan; § 46.2-1052(F) does not differentiate by vehicle type
Front side 50% VLT or lighter 50% 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? 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

    No film with a reflectance of light exceeding 20 percent, and none producing a holographic or prism effect (§ 46.2-1052(D)(3))

    Colors

    No color is banned by name in the statute — the only restrictions are reflectance over 20% and holographic/prism effects. (Several secondary sites wrongly list red/yellow/amber as banned in Virginia.)

    Medical exemption

    § 46.2-1053: a vehicle operated by or regularly used to transport a person whose medical condition makes them susceptible to harm from sunlight or bright artificial light may have film on the windshield and any or all windows down to 35% VLT, except that windshield film may not take the windshield below 70% VLT other than the upper five inches or the AS-1 line, whichever is closer to the top. The driver or an occupant must carry written authorization issued by the DMV Commissioner, issued only on a signed statement from a licensed physician or optometrist identifying the person and stating the film is necessary to safeguard their health. Authorizations are valid while the condition persists or until the vehicle is sold, permit safety-inspection approval, and one or more may be issued to an individual or family.

    Stickers & certification

    None required by statute — §§ 46.2-1052/1053 require no installer or compliance sticker (medical cases carry DMV written authorization instead). Secondary sites claiming a required tint sticker on the driver's door are wrong.

    Measurement tolerance

    -7 percentage points (law-enforcement measurement tolerance, § 46.2-1052(E) and § 46.2-1053)

    Penalties

    Operating with non-compliant film (too dark, over 20% reflectance, or holographic/prism) is a traffic infraction, with no demerit points assessed. A person or firm that applies or affixes non-compliant film is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class 2 misdemeanor for any subsequent offense. A court may dismiss the summons if proof of compliance is provided on or before the court date, and on a second or subsequent conviction within a year involving a tinted windshield may order the windshield removed. Since 2020, § 46.2-1052(P) bars officers from stopping a vehicle for a tint violation and makes evidence from such a stop inadmissible.

    Notes

    The SUV/van difference is the key correction: § 46.2-1052(H) provides that nothing in the section prohibits applying film below 35% VLT to the rear side windows or rear window of any multipurpose passenger vehicle or pickup truck — so those vehicles may go any darkness behind the driver, while their front side windows stay at 50%. 'Multipurpose passenger vehicle' is defined in subsection A as a vehicle designed to carry no more than 10 persons and built either on a truck chassis or with special features for occasional off-road use. Dual side mirrors (each giving a view at least 200 feet to the rear) are a precondition for ANY tinting film on ANY window, per subsection D. Other carve-outs: law-enforcement vehicles (K), rear/rear-side windows of EMS patient-transport vehicles (L), private security canine handlers (M), sight-seeing and contract passenger carriers as to the 35% rule (N), and film installed before July 1, 1987 with receipts (I).

    Virginia tint questions

    What is the darkest legal tint in Virginia?

    For a sedan in Virginia, front side windows must let at least 50% 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 50%, back side no VLT limit, rear no VLT limit.

    Is 20% tint legal in Virginia?

    No, not on the front side windows. Virginia requires at least 50% 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 Virginia?

    Virginia's rule for the windshield: No film or darkening material on the windshield except to replace the manufacturer-installed sunshield in the uppermost area; clear (non-darkening) film may be applied if maintained consistent with 49 C.F.R. § 571.205 (FMVSS 205). There is no legal aftermarket dark strip above the AS-1 line.

    Does Virginia allow a medical exemption for darker tint?

    What the source says: § 46.2-1053: a vehicle operated by or regularly used to transport a person whose medical condition makes them susceptible to harm from sunlight or bright artificial light may have film on the windshield and any or all windows down to 35% VLT, except that windshield film may not take the windshield below 70% VLT other than the upper five inches or the AS-1 line, whichever is closer to the top. The driver or an occupant must carry written authorization issued by the DMV Commissioner, issued only on a signed statement from a licensed physician or optometrist identifying the person and stating the film is necessary to safeguard their health. Authorizations are valid while the condition persists or until the vehicle is sold, permit safety-inspection approval, and one or more may be issued to an individual or family. Confirm the current process with the agency named before you have film installed.

    Do I need a tint sticker or certificate in Virginia?

    None required by statute — §§ 46.2-1052/1053 require no installer or compliance sticker (medical cases carry DMV written authorization instead). Secondary sites claiming a required tint sticker on the driver's door are wrong.

    Nearby states

    Where this comes from

    Statute cited: Va. Code §§ 46.2-1052 and 46.2-1053

    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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