Can Laminated Glass Stop a Bullet?

Standard laminated glass vs ballistic glass

Standard laminated car glass and ballistic glass share a layered design, and they are built for different threats. A windshield is two thin glass plies bonded to a plastic interlayer, normally PVB. Pilkington gives 2.1/0.76/2.1 mm as a current build for laminated side glass and says windshields are similar. For more on that build, see what is laminated glass.

The federal test matches the crash job. FMVSS 205 requires glazing to meet ANSI/SAE Z26.1-1996. NHTSA describes the laminated penetration check, Test 26, as a 5 lb steel ball dropped from 12 feet onto a 12 by 12 inch sample. NHTSA says that test looks at a “moderate-sized object.” The text of FMVSS 205 sets no firearm test for windshields. A 1989 NHTSA notice also lists bullet resistant glass as its own glazing item, Item 10, separate from laminated Item 1. For the legal side, see is laminated glass mandatory for front windshield.

How much thicker bullet-resistant glass is

Bullet-resistant glazing is about four to eight times thicker than a typical windshield in the maker examples below. The windshield in the Lux study measured 4.9 mm, or about 0.19 inches. An all-glass laminate rated UL 752 Level 1 measures about 33 mm, so laminated glass can resist a handgun round when it is built far thicker.

The table lists published maker data. The Insulgard products are architectural glazing for buildings, and the Bulldog Direct products are vehicle glass. Ratings are the makers’ own statements, so a buyer should ask for the test report. Curved vehicle glass from Bulldog Direct is a glass-clad polycarbonate laminate with polyurethane interlayers. The maker says door modifications are needed and heavy-duty window lifts may be required. Costs and packages are on the how much is bulletproof glass for a car page.

Glazing	Thickness	Weight per sq ft	Stated rating
Example laminated windshield (Lux study)	4.9 mm (0.19 in)	Not given	None stated
Insulgard MP750, laminated polycarbonate	0.766 in (19.5 mm)	4.76 lb	UL 752 Level 1
Bulldog Direct Auto-3, vehicle glass	7/8 in (22 mm)	8.8 lb	NIJ IIIA, BR-4
Insulgard BR-113, all-glass laminate	1.295 in (32.9 mm)	16.05 lb	UL 752 Level 1
Bulldog Direct Auto-4, vehicle glass	1-1/2 in (39 mm)	18 lb	NIJ III, BR-6

What tests show when a bullet hits a windshield

Published tests show handgun bullets passing through windshields, usually with some change to the bullet. Lux and colleagues fired 52 shots from a 9 mm HK P30 pistol at a Hyundai windshield made by Saint-Gobain Sekurit, from about 5.7 feet. Each shot in the first series punched out a round fragment of PVB and glass. Those fragments went up to 2.4 cm (0.9 in) into ballistic gelatin placed behind a cotton layer.

Eastham and Reed fired 17 .40-caliber duty loads through windshields into body armor from about six feet. Bullet type played a significant role in fragmentation. Kunz and colleagues fired 9 mm rounds through a car side window at 30 and 90 degrees, and the bullets lost substantial energy, more so at 30 degrees.

US police ammunition testing treats windshield glass as a barrier to shoot through. A 1995 FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin article says the test procedures required a cartridge to perform well after penetrating windshield glass. American Rifleman described the setup as glass at 45 degrees, shot at 10 feet and again at 20 yards.

Blue Line, a Canadian police magazine, reports that handgun bullets deflect about 1 to 5 degrees through windshield glass. It adds that the glass can strip the copper jacket from the core.

What UL 752 and NIJ ratings mean

UL 752 and NIJ ratings state which test rounds a sample stopped, and nothing beyond those rounds. For UL 752, Intertek lists three end conditions: the projectile must not pass through, spall must not damage cardboard indicators on the protected side, and no opening may admit the muzzle of a standard weapon. Holding together after a hit does not meet those conditions on its own.

NIJ Standard 0108.01 covers ballistic resistant materials, including transparent glazing used in vehicles. Its test puts a thin aluminum witness plate 6 inches behind the sample, and any perforation of that plate is a failure. NIJ Standard 0123.00 (2023) renamed some levels, such as IIIA to HG2 and III to RF1. It does not name vehicle glass, and Bulldog Direct still lists the older names. UL levels and NIJ types do not line up one to one, because their rounds and shot counts differ. The official UL 752 text is paywalled, so the UL rows come from Riot Glass’s published chart.

Level	Test round	Shots	Speed (ft/s)
UL 752 Level 1	9 mm, 124 gr	3	1,175 to 1,293
UL 752 Level 3	.44 Magnum, 240 gr	3	1,350 to 1,485
UL 752 Level 6	9 mm, 124 gr	5	1,400 to 1,540
UL 752 Level 8	7.62 mm (.308), 150 gr	5	2,750 to 3,025
NIJ 0108.01 Type III (now RF1)	7.62 mm (.308), 150 gr	5	2,750, plus or minus 50
NIJ 0108.01 Type IV (now RF3)	.30-06 armor piercing, 166 gr	1	2,850, plus or minus 50

Side windows, rear glass and security film

Side windows, rear glass and aftermarket film do not change the answer. Many cars use tempered side and rear glass, which has no plastic layer to hold it together. AAA counted laminated side windows on about 33 percent of 2018 models, so which cars have laminated glass varies by model and trim. A laminated side window is still thin. The Kunz study shows 9 mm rounds getting through car side glass, and the Pilkington build above is about 5 mm. The laminated glass vs tempered glass page covers how each type breaks.

Security film holds glass together, and that is a different job. 3M’s window film page warns that “window films are not bulletproof and not designed to stop intruders.” Total Security Solutions reports that the International Window Film Association renewed a similar position in fall 2024. The how to strengthen laminated car glass page covers what film can do. FMVSS 205 does define a bullet resistant shield: a barrier fitted fully inside the vehicle, behind glazing that complies on its own.

Limits of any bullet-resistance claim

No rating or glass type promises protection against every round. NIJ 0108.01 warns that armor which defeats a standard test round may not defeat other loadings in the same caliber. It also says nondeforming or armor-piercing rounds pose a greater penetration threat at the same speed. A rating is tied to the listed ammunition, shot count and distance, which is 15 feet for UL 752.

Impact angle changes the outcome, and nobody in a car controls it. In a 2017 conference study, 9 mm full metal jacket bullets at about 1,150 ft/s ricocheted off a windshield at 5 and 10 degrees and perforated it at 20 degrees. Those were test shots on one setup, so the numbers do not transfer to other cars or rounds.

This guide found no test showing that a standard windshield reliably stops a given handgun round. A slow round or an odd angle may behave differently, which is why no one should count on it. For a real security need, speak with an armoring specialist. After a shooting, call 911 first. Glass with a through hole needs replacement, because ROLAGS rules out repair for damage through both layers. See how big a windshield crack can be repaired for the limits.

Frequently asked questions

Is a car windshield bulletproof?

No. A standard windshield is laminated safety glass built to FMVSS 205, and 9 mm pistol rounds have gone through one in published forensic tests.

Can laminated glass ever be bullet resistant?

Yes, when it is built and tested for that job. Insulgard’s BR-113 all-glass laminate is rated UL 752 Level 1 at 1.295 inches, about 6.7 times the 4.9 mm windshield in the Lux study.

What is the difference between UL 752 and NIJ ratings?

UL 752 is a standard for bullet-resisting equipment, charted with numbered levels from 1 to 10. NIJ 0108.01 is a US National Institute of Justice standard with types from I to IV. Each uses its own rounds and shot counts, so the levels do not match one to one.

Can a windshield stop a bullet at an angle?

A bullet can ricochet at a very shallow angle. One 9 mm test saw ricochets at 5 and 10 degrees and a perforation at 20 degrees, so an angle is not protection to count on.

Does window tint or security film make car glass bulletproof?

No. 3M states that window films are not bulletproof. The glass under the film stays the same, and what type of glass is used in car windows explains which glass each window uses.

Sources

• Lux et al., Gunshots through laminated glass, International Journal of Legal Medicine, 2023
• Kunz et al., Laminated Safety Glass as an Intermediate Target, Journal of Forensic Sciences, 2012 (abstract)
• Diaczuk and Goldfrank, Critical Angle in Automobile Windshield Glass, AAFS 2017 proceedings
• Eastham and Reed, Bullets Fired Through Automobile Windshield Glass, AAFS 2005 proceedings
• NIJ Standard 0108.01, Ballistic Resistant Protective Materials, 1985 (checked 2026-11-01)
• NIJ Standard 0123.00, Ballistic Protection Levels and Test Threats, 2023 (checked 2026-11-01)
• Riot Glass, UL 752 chart, 2025 (checked 2026-11-01)
• Intertek, UL 752 standard summary (checked 2026-11-01)
• 49 CFR 571.205, FMVSS 205, Glazing Materials (checked 2026-11-01)
• NHTSA notice, 54 FR 41636, October 11, 1989 (checked 2026-11-01)
• Pilkington, Laminated sidelights
• Insulgard, MP750 laminated polycarbonate
• Insulgard, BR-113 all-glass laminate
• Bulldog Direct, Curved Bullet Resistant Vehicle Glass
• FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, January 1995
• Charles E. Petty, The FBI Ammo Tests, American Rifleman, June 1990
• Chris Butler, Implications of shooting through a windshield, Blue Line, 2022
• 3M, Benefits of 3M Building Window Films
• Total Security Solutions, Window Films Can Increase Security, But Can't Stop Bullets, 2024
• AAA, Evaluation of Vehicle Escape Tools, 2019
• ROLAGS 002-2022 repair standard