---
title: "Cracked Windshield Laws by State: Statute Lookup Tool"
canonical: "https://carglassfix.com/cracked-windshield-laws-by-state/"
author: "Garrett Ross"
published: "2026-11-03T06:00:00+00:00"
modified: "2026-10-31T05:53:04+00:00"
language: "en-US"
site: "CarGlassFix"
description: "Pick a state to read its cracked windshield statute, what it says and the check date. Covers Florida, California, Georgia. Unverified states are flagged."
categories: "Front Windshield"
attribution: "CarGlassFix (https://carglassfix.com/)"
---

# Cracked Windshield Laws by State: Statute Lookup Tool

Short answer

Cracked windshield law differs by state, and few statutes set a size limit for private cars. Georgia bars starburst or spider-web damage over 3 by 3 inches. Minnesota and California turn on impaired vision. Florida relies on a general unsafe-vehicle rule. Select a state in the tool to read the statute we checked.

  

## Key takeaways

- This tool shows 24 states with a statute or rule we opened, and 27 jurisdictions, including DC, read Not confirmed.
- Florida’s 316.2952 has no crack rule, and 316.610 covers vehicles in unsafe condition.
- Georgia’s 40-8-73(e) sets a 3 by 3 inch limit for starburst or spider-web damage.
- Inspection rules set the clearest sizes, such as New York’s 11-inch crack limit.
- 49 CFR 393.60 sets the damage limits for commercial vehicles, not private cars.

   

State

    

Commercial vehicles: [49 CFR 393.60(c)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-393/subpart-G/section-393.60) keeps the area from the top of the steering wheel up free of damage, apart from 2 in at the top and 1 in at the sides. It excepts a crack no other crack intersects, and damage a 3/4 in disc covers that sits 3 in or more from similar damage. Text as of 1 Oct 2026. This rule covers trucks and buses in federal scope, not private cars.

 

General information, not legal advice. Check the official code before relying on this. A statute shown here may not be the only one that applies in your state.

    

## How to read the state result

 

Each result names the type of rule, the statute, what it says, the source and the date we read it. A state reads Not confirmed when we have not opened its statute. That label means no rule is shown here. It does not mean the state has no rule. The tool does not guess from a neighboring state or a blog.

 

The result covers the section we read, so another section may also apply. Where a section does not mention cracks, the tool says so in those words. That is narrower than saying cracks are legal. An officer can still rely on a general equipment or unsafe-vehicle rule. Whether a stop or a ticket follows depends on the facts, which [can you get a ticket for a cracked windshield](https://carglassfix.com/can-you-get-a-ticket-for-cracked-windshield/) explains with case examples. Several entries come from mirrors of the state code because the official site did not load. Those entries show the mirror’s name and its current-as-of date. Use the official code before relying on any entry.

 

## Four kinds of state rule

 

State rules on windshield cracks fall into four kinds, and the wording decides how much room an officer has. A few statutes name the damage. Others ask whether the driver’s view is impaired. Many only bar an unsafe vehicle, and inspection states add measured limits at the inspection lane. The tool labels each state with one of these kinds, or says the section we read does not mention cracks. The table gives two examples of each kind. An impaired-vision rule leaves more to the officer’s judgment than a measured limit. Inspection limits apply at the inspection, and a passing result does not change what the road rules say.

 

![Four kinds of state cracked windshield rule: rules that name damage such as Georgia's 3 by 3 inch starburst limit, impaired-vision rules in California and Illinois, general unsafe-vehicle rules in Florida and Texas, and inspection limits such as New York's 11 inch crack rule](https://carglassfix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/cracked-windshield-law-types-by-state.webp)

*Source: state codes and rules read Oct 2026. Diagram: CarGlassFix.*
 

| Kind of rule | Example | Text or limit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Names the damage | Georgia 40-8-73(e) | Starburst or spider webbing over 3 by 3 inches |
| Names the damage | Minnesota 169.71 | Cracked or discolored so as to limit or obstruct proper vision |
| Impaired vision | California 26710 | Defective condition that impairs the driver’s vision |
| Impaired vision | Illinois 12-503(e) | Defective condition that materially impairs the view |
| Unsafe vehicle | Florida 316.610 | Unsafe condition that endangers any person |
| Unsafe vehicle | Texas 547.004 | Unsafe so as to endanger a person |
| Inspection limit | New York 79.21(f) | Crack over 11 inches in the wiper path, or star over 3 inches |
| Inspection limit | Missouri 2.270 | Crack over 3 inches in the vision area |

 

## Cracked windshield law in Florida

 

Florida has no statute that sets a crack size for private cars. Section 316.2952 covers safety glazing and wipers, and it does not mention cracks. Section 316.610 makes it a violation to drive a vehicle in such unsafe condition as to endanger any person. An officer with reasonable cause to believe a vehicle is unsafe may require the driver to stop for inspection. For defects that do not present unduly hazardous conditions, the statute gives examples such as windshield wipers, and the officer gives written notice to repair within 48 hours, excluding Sunday.

 

Florida searches often mix two questions, the crack rule and the insurance rule. Section 627.7288 says the policy deductible does not apply to windshield damage where the policy provides comprehensive or combined additional coverage. It does not depend on section 316.610. The claim side is covered in [is windshield repair free in Florida](https://carglassfix.com/is-windshield-repair-free-in-florida/). We did not read a fine amount for this violation in the sections above, so the tool shows none. Some web pages quote fines and fix-it windows that we could not trace to these statutes.

 

## California, Illinois, Georgia and Arizona

 

California and Illinois use impaired-view tests, Georgia uses a measurement, and Arizona uses general wording. California’s Vehicle Code 26710 makes it unlawful to operate a vehicle with a windshield in a condition that impairs the driver’s vision. The officer directs the driver to fix it within 48 hours and may also issue a notice to appear. Illinois section 12-503(e) uses the words materially impair. The Seventh Circuit treated a spider web of cracks as a basis for a stop under that section in United States v. Childs in 2002.

 

Georgia is the clearest of the group. No vehicle may be operated with a windshield or rear window showing a starburst or spider webbing effect greater than 3 by 3 inches. Arizona’s sections read differently. Section 28-957.01 requires an adequate windshield, and section 28-981 requires a safe mechanical condition. Neither section uses the word crack. Claims of a statewide 6-inch rule did not match any statute we read. Among the rules we read, that figure appears only in Maine’s inspection rule, as a crack within the critical vision area.

 

## Inspection states and federal truck rules

 

Inspection rules are the only place most drivers meet a measured crack limit. New York rejects a crack over 11 inches with any part in the wiper path. Massachusetts rejects a single-line crack extending more than 3 inches into the critical viewing area. Pennsylvania uses an acute area 8 1/2 inches wide and 5 1/2 inches high. Details and status changes sit in [will a car pass inspection with a cracked windshield](https://carglassfix.com/will-a-car-pass-inspection-with-a-cracked-windshield/), including the [Texas inspection](https://carglassfix.com/will-a-cracked-windshield-pass-inspection-in-texas/) change.

 

Commercial vehicles have a federal baseline. Under 49 CFR 393.60(c) the windshield must be free of damage in the area from the top of the steering wheel upward, apart from a 2-inch top border and 1-inch side borders. Two exceptions apply. One is a crack not intersected by any other crack. The other is damage a 3/4-inch disc can cover, at least 3 inches from similar damage. Many web pages apply those figures to private cars, which the rule does not do. California applies the same subsection to the vehicles listed in its Section 34500.

 

## What to do if a crack may break the rule

 

The safest legal position is a clear view and a repair record. Check the official code for your state first, then check where the damage sits against the wipers and the driver’s view. A crack that grows into the driver’s view changes the analysis in every impaired-vision state. Our guide to [how long you can drive with a cracked windshield](https://carglassfix.com/how-long-can-i-drive-with-a-cracked-windshield/) covers the safety side of that decision. If you have comprehensive cover, check whether your insurer pays before you book.

 

A repair can matter if you receive a citation. Texas lets a court dismiss if the defect is fixed before the first court appearance and a capped fee is paid. Virginia lets a court dismiss with proof of compliance, and its statute bars a stop for that equipment violation alone. California’s process directs correction within 48 hours. These rules vary, so read the notice you received. A traffic lawyer can advise on a specific ticket, and this page offers general information only.

 

## Frequently asked questions

 

### Is a cracked windshield illegal in Florida?

 

No Florida statute we read sets a crack size. Section 316.610 applies if the vehicle is in such unsafe condition as to endanger any person, so a crack that blocks the view can still draw attention.

 

### What is the cracked windshield law in California?

 

Vehicle Code 26710 makes it unlawful to operate a vehicle when the windshield is in such a defective condition as to impair the driver’s vision. The section sets no crack size for private cars.

 

### Which state has a size limit in its statute?

 

Georgia’s 40-8-73(e) has a 3 by 3 inch limit for starburst or spider-web damage. Other measured limits we read appear in inspection rules, such as New York and Massachusetts.

 

### Why does my state say Not confirmed?

 

We have not opened that state’s statute, so we show no rule. The label says nothing about what the law allows, so check the state legislature’s code site.

 

### Does 49 CFR 393.60 apply to my car?

 

No. It sits in the federal motor carrier safety rules for commercial vehicles. California applies its limits only to the vehicles listed in Section 34500.

  

## Sources

 

- [Florida Statutes 316.610 (2025), checked 31 Oct 2026](https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/316.610)
- [Florida Statutes 316.2952 (2025), checked 31 Oct 2026](https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/316.2952)
- [Florida Statutes 627.7288 (2025), checked 31 Oct 2026](https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/627.7288)
- [California Vehicle Code 26710, checked 26 Oct 2026](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=26710)
- [Georgia Code 40-8-73 on FindLaw, current as of 28 Mar 2024, checked 31 Oct 2026](https://codes.findlaw.com/ga/title-40-motor-vehicles-and-traffic/ga-code-sect-40-8-73/)
- [625 ILCS 5/12-503 on FindLaw, current as of 1 Jan 2025, checked 31 Oct 2026](https://codes.findlaw.com/il/chapter-625-vehicles/il-st-sect-625-5-12-503/)
- [United States v. Childs, 277 F.3d 947 (7th Cir. 2002)](https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/776249/united-states-v-tommie-t-childs/)
- [Arizona Revised Statutes 28-981, checked 31 Oct 2026](https://www.azleg.gov/ars/28/00981.htm)
- [Arizona Revised Statutes 28-957.01, checked 31 Oct 2026](https://www.azleg.gov/ars/28/00957-01.htm)
- [Minnesota Statutes 169.71, checked 31 Oct 2026](https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/169.71)
- [Texas Transportation Code 547.004, checked 31 Oct 2026](https://texas.public.law/statutes/tex._transp._code_section_547.004)
- [Virginia Code 46.2-1003, checked 26 Oct 2026](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title46.2/chapter10/section46.2-1003/)
- [15 NYCRR 79.21, checked 28 Oct 2026](https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/new-york/15-NYCRR-79.21)
- [540 CMR 4.04, checked 28 Oct 2026](https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/massachusetts/540-CMR-4-04)
- [11 CSR 50-2.270, checked 28 Oct 2026](https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/missouri/11-CSR-50-2-270)
- [Maine 16-222 CMR ch. 1, checked 28 Oct 2026](https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/maine/C-M-R-16-222-ch-1-SS-222-1-170-subsec-222-1-170-01)
- [67 Pa. Code 175.80, checked 28 Oct 2026](https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/067/chapter175/s175.80.html)
- [49 CFR 393.60, text as of 1 Oct 2026](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-393/subpart-G/section-393.60)