Patriot Tinting · Virginia tint laws
Virginia tint laws
What tint is legal in Virginia. In plain English.
The numbers below are from Virginia Code 46.2‑1052. Every shade we carry is available. We install the shade you ask for and tell you where it lands against the limits for your vehicle.
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The limits
By window and by vehicle type.
| Window | Cars, sedans, coupes | SUVs, trucks, vans |
|---|---|---|
| Front side windows | At least 50% of light must pass | At least 50% of light must pass |
| Rear side windows | At least 35% | Any shade |
| Back glass | At least 35% | Any shade |
| Windshield | No dark film below the AS‑1 line. A sun strip above it is fine. Clear film is allowed on the whole windshield if the glass still passes 70% of light. | |
| Reflectivity | No more than 20% reflective on any window. No mirror film. | |
| Colors | Red, amber and yellow film are not allowed. | |
The percentages are light transmission. 35% means 35% of the light gets through. Lower is darker. "Limo" is around 5%, which is legal behind the front doors of an SUV or truck and illegal anywhere on a car.
It is measured on the glass, not the film. Factory colored glass already blocks some light, so a 35% film over it can read darker than 35%. The number that counts is the finished window, not the roll.
Exemptions and enforcement
Medical exemptions, mirrors, penalties.
Medical exemption. Virginia allows darker tint with a signed authorization from a licensed physician or optometrist, filed with the DMV. The windshield still has to pass 70%. Bring the paperwork and we will install to it.
Mirrors. If the back glass is tinted, the vehicle must have a working side mirror on each side.
Inspection. The annual state inspection does not meter your side windows. It checks three things: no dark film on the windshield below the AS‑1 line, nothing covering the third brake light in the back glass, and no film that is bubbled, peeling or distorts the driver's view. The percentages are a road matter, and since March 2021 tint is a secondary offense in Virginia: police cannot pull you over for it. It can only be added to a stop that started for something else.
Penalties. If you are stopped for something else and the officer meters the glass below the limit, tint is a traffic infraction, usually a fix-it ticket. Know the numbers for your vehicle before you pick a shade.
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Questions
The short answers.
What is the darkest legal tint in Virginia?
On the front two windows, 50% for every vehicle. Behind the front doors, 35% on cars and any shade on SUVs, trucks and vans.
Can I tint my windshield in Virginia?
Not with dark film, except a strip across the top above the AS‑1 line. Clear heat-blocking film on the whole windshield has been legal since 2008 as long as the glass still passes 70% of light.
Is 20% tint legal in Virginia?
Behind the front doors of an SUV, truck or van, yes. On the front two windows of anything, no. On the rear of a car, no, the limit there is 35%.
Can I get pulled over for tint in Virginia?
Not for tint alone. Since March 2021 it is a secondary offense, so an officer needs another reason to stop you first. During that stop the windows can be metered and cited if they are below the limit.
How do I get a medical exemption?
A licensed physician or optometrist signs the DMV authorization form and it is kept with the vehicle. It allows darker side and rear windows. It does not allow a dark windshield.
Will my tint pass inspection?
The inspection station looks at three things: nothing dark on the windshield below the AS‑1 line, the third brake light not covered, and no bubbled or distorted film. A clean install passes. The percentages in the table are a separate matter. Tint has been a secondary offense in Virginia since 2021, so it cannot be the reason for a stop, but it can be metered and cited during a stop for something else. We install the shade you ask for, and the table above tells you where it lands.
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- 223 Salters Creek Rd, Suite 19
Hampton, VA 23661 - Hours
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