--- title: "Virginia Window Tint Laws: Legal Limits by Window" canonical: "https://carglassfix.com/virginia-window-tint-laws/" author: "Garrett Ross" published: "2026-10-28T02:28:21+00:00" modified: "2026-10-28T02:28:23+00:00" language: "en-US" site: "CarGlassFix" description: "Virginia tint law: front side windows 50%, rear side and rear 35% on cars, any darkness behind the driver on SUVs, no windshield film. Tolerance and fines." categories: "Window Tint" attribution: "CarGlassFix (https://carglassfix.com/)" --- # Virginia Window Tint Laws: Legal Limits by Window Short answer Virginia window tint laws require front side windows to pass at least 50% of light, measured through film and glass together, and rear side and rear windows on cars to pass at least 35%. SUVs, vans and pickups may be any darkness behind the driver. Tinted film is barred from the windshield except the factory sunshield area. ## Key takeaways - Va. Code 46.2-1052(D) sets 50% total light transmittance for front side windows and 35% for rear side and rear windows, with reflectance capped at 20% on every window. - Multipurpose passenger vehicles and pickup trucks have no lower limit on the rear side windows and rear window (46.2-1052(H)). - Any tint film requires an outside mirror on each side that shows the highway at least 200 feet behind the vehicle. - Since March 1, 2021, police may not stop a vehicle for a tint violation alone, and evidence from such a stop is inadmissible (46.2-1052(P)). - A DMV medical authorization (form MED 20) allows 35% film on every window and a 35% strip at the top of the windshield. ## Virginia window tint limits by window Virginia allows 50% on the front side windows and 35% on the rear side and rear windows of a passenger car. The rule is Code of Virginia 46.2-1052, last amended in 2026. The statute defines front side windows as those “adjacent to and forward of the driver’s seat.” Rear side windows are those to the rear of that seat. Multipurpose passenger vehicles and pickup trucks follow a looser rule behind the driver. The code defines a multipurpose passenger vehicle as one designed to carry no more than 10 persons and built on a truck chassis or with special features for occasional off-road use. Subsection H lets those vehicles, and every pickup truck, carry film below 35% on the rear side windows and rear window. The statute sets no lower limit there, and the Virginia DMV’s own table lists those windows as “No limitations.” Front side windows on SUVs, vans and pickups stay at 50%, the same as on a sedan. | Window | Sedan | SUV, van, pickup | | --- | --- | --- | | Windshield | No tint film; factory sunshield area only; clear film allowed | Same | | Front side windows (beside and ahead of the driver) | 50% or more | 50% or more | | Rear side windows | 35% or more | Any darkness | | Rear window | 35% or more | Any darkness | | Reflectance | 20% or less on every window | Same | | Holographic or prism film | Banned | Banned | | Outside mirrors | One on each side if any window has film | Same | | Officer tolerance | Minus 7 percentage points | Same | ## How Virginia measures tint: total light and a 7-point tolerance Virginia measures the whole window, so the 50% and 35% limits apply to the light that passes through the film and the glass together. The statute bans film that reduces the “total light transmittance of such window” below each limit. ![Side views of a sedan and an SUV labelled with Virginia tint limits: no tint film on either windshield, front side windows 50%, sedan rear side and rear windows 35%, SUV rear side and rear windows any darkness, reflectance 20% or less, a mirror on each side, a minus 7 point officer tolerance and clear windshield film allowed from July 1, 2026](https://carglassfix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/virginia-window-tint-limits-by-window.webp) *Source: Va. Code 46.2-1052 as amended by Acts 2026, ch. 894. Diagram: CarGlassFix.* Factory glass absorbs some light before any film goes on. A film sold as 50% therefore reads darker once it is applied. Our guide on [how to measure window tint](https://carglassfix.com/how-to-measure-window-tint/) shows the math, and the [window tint percentage chart](https://carglassfix.com/window-tint-percentage-chart/) shows how each shade looks. Subsection E requires officers to use meters that meet standards set by the Division of Purchases and Supply. The same subsection gives every officer measurement “a tolerance of minus seven percentage points.” By that arithmetic, a front side window that reads 43% is treated as meeting the 50% rule. Reflectance has its own cap: no film on any window may reflect more than 20% of light. Film with a holographic or prism effect is banned outright. The statute defines a prism effect as a rainbow-like effect that separates light into colors. The Virginia statute names no banned colors. A [window tint meter](https://carglassfix.com/window-tint-meter/) reads the same net figure an officer would see. ## Windshield tint in Virginia Tinted film is not allowed on a Virginia windshield, except to replace the sunshield the vehicle maker installed in the uppermost area. That is the rule in 46.2-1052(F). The same subsection now allows clear film “so long as it is maintained in a condition consistent with” Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 205 (49 CFR 571.205). The clear-film sentence is new. It came from Senate Bill 506, Acts of Assembly 2026, chapter 894, approved April 13, 2026. The State Police list July 1, 2026 as the effective date for 2026 acts without a special date. The State Police inspection rule adds a marker for the top of the glass. It rejects sunshading “words, lettering, numbers or pictures” that extend below the AS-1 line, or 3 inches from the top when the glass has no AS-1 line (19VAC30-70-210 B.10). The guide [what is the AS-1 line on a windshield](https://carglassfix.com/as1-line-on-windshield/) shows where to find the mark. A 5-inch tinted strip exists in Virginia only under a medical authorization. A court may order a tinted or smoked windshield removed after a second conviction within one year for the same vehicle (46.2-1052(J)). For other states, read [is it illegal to have tint on a windshield](https://carglassfix.com/is-it-illegal-to-have-tint-on-windshield/). ## How the Virginia safety inspection checks tint The Virginia safety inspection checks tint against the State Police rules in 19VAC30-70, which cover passenger vehicles up to 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating. The State Police say a vehicle must be inspected at least once every twelve months. The glass and glazing section, 19VAC30-70-210, rejects a vehicle in these cases: - Windshield sunshading extends below the AS-1 line, or 3 inches from the top without the line, unless the DMV authorized it and the registration shows it. - Any sunscreening material is “scratched, distorted, wrinkled” or obscures clear vision. - The rear side windows or rear window carry film without a mirror on each side. With both mirrors, the rule allows “a single layer of sunshading material.” The mirror section, 19VAC30-70-220, requires two outside mirrors if the rear side windows or rear window carry sunshading or tinting film. The reject list in 19VAC30-70-210 does not name a light-transmittance reading. The rule does not say whether a station meters film, so ask the station before the appointment. A DMV medical authorization “shall permit the approval” of the vehicle at inspection if it otherwise qualifies (46.2-1053). For glass damage limits, see [will a car pass inspection with a cracked windshield](https://carglassfix.com/will-a-car-pass-inspection-with-a-cracked-windshield/). ## Tint tickets in Virginia: stops, fines and dismissal A Virginia driver with illegal tint commits a traffic infraction with no demerit points, and police may not stop a car for tint alone. Subsection P says “No law-enforcement officer shall stop a motor vehicle for a violation of this section.” Evidence found in such a stop is inadmissible in any trial or hearing, even evidence obtained with the driver’s consent. ![Chart of how Virginia judges a tint meter reading with the minus 7 point tolerance: front side windows too dark under 43%, sedan rear side and rear windows too dark under 28%, medical authorization windows too dark under 28%, and a medical windshield below the top strip too dark under 63%](https://carglassfix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/virginia-tint-meter-tolerance-chart.webp) *Source: Va. Code 46.2-1052(D), (E), (H) and 46.2-1053; thresholds are CarGlassFix arithmetic. Diagram: CarGlassFix.* The no-stop rule came from House Bill 5058 and Senate Bill 5029 of the 2020 Special Session I, effective March 1, 2021. An officer who stops a car for another reason can still write a tint summons. The tint section sets no fine amount, so the general rule in 46.2-113 applies. That rule caps a traffic infraction fine at the Class 4 misdemeanor level, which 18.2-11 sets at $250. Court costs are separate. Installers face heavier penalties. Applying illegal film is a Class 3 misdemeanor for a first offense, with a fine of up to $500. A later offense is a Class 2 misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. Under subsection O, a court may dismiss the summons if proof of compliance reaches the court on or before the court date. ## Virginia medical authorization for darker tint A Virginia DMV medical authorization lets a vehicle carry 35% film on every window and on part of the windshield. Code of Virginia 46.2-1053 covers a vehicle driven by, or regularly used to carry, a person whose medical condition makes sunlight or bright artificial light harmful. On the windshield, total light may not drop below 70%, except in the upper 5 inches or above the AS-1 line, whichever is closer to the top. The statute names a licensed physician or licensed optometrist as the signer. The DMV form MED 20 also lists physician assistant, nurse practitioner and ophthalmologist. The DMV says to get the authorization before adding the tint. The authorization lasts while the condition persists or until the vehicle is sold, whichever comes first. The DMV says the film must then come off. Form MED 21 removes the sunshading notation from the vehicle record. The DMV process has five steps. ## How to get a Virginia sun-shading medical authorization 1. ### Get the provider statement A physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, ophthalmologist or optometrist completes the provider section of form MED 20; it is needed for new applications only. 2. ### List each vehicle Enter the year, make, model, VIN, title number and plate of every vehicle to be tinted. 3. ### Send the form to the DMV Hand it in at a DMV customer service center, or mail it to Data Integrity, PO Box 27412, Richmond, VA 23269-0001. 4. ### Keep the new registration card The DMV issues a registration card with “sunshading” in the Special Conditions space; it serves as the proof. 5. ### Tint within the limits Film may not go below 35% on any window, and the vehicle needs both outside mirrors. ## Exemptions, older tint and what other websites get wrong Virginia exempts a few vehicle types and some older installations from the tint limits. Law-enforcement vehicles are exempt under subsection K. Emergency medical services vehicles that transport patients are exempt on the rear and rear side windows (L). Licensed security canine handlers are exempt from the light, reflectance and prism limits (M). Sight-seeing carriers and contract passenger carriers are exempt from the 35% rear rule (N). Film installed before July 1, 1987, that was legal at the time stays legal if receipts prove the date (I). Several popular sources state rules that the Virginia text does not contain. The AI answers in Google and Bing in October 2026 listed a ban on red, yellow and amber film, but 46.2-1052 names no color. Google’s answer also gave a driver fine range up to $500, above the $250 cap in 46.2-113. The State Police inspection FAQ still quotes an older version of the tint law under the section number 46.2-1063, without the no-stop rule or the clear-film sentence. Hanging objects fall under a separate section, 46.2-1054, with the same no-stop clause. Compare states in [what car window tint is legal](https://carglassfix.com/what-car-window-tint-is-legal/), and preview shades with the [window tint simulator](https://carglassfix.com/window-tint-simulator/). Rules change, so check the current statute or the Virginia DMV before you tint. This page is not legal advice. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the darkest legal tint in Virginia? On a car, the darkest legal tint is 50% on the front side windows and 35% on the rear side and rear windows, measured through film and glass together. SUVs, vans and pickups may be any darkness behind the driver, and a DMV medical authorization allows 35% on every window. ### Can cops stop you just for tint in Virginia? No. Since March 1, 2021, Va. Code 46.2-1052(P) bars a stop for a tint violation alone, and evidence from such a stop is inadmissible. An officer who stops a car for another reason can still issue a tint summons. ### Can I put 35% tint on my front and back doors in Virginia? Not on the front doors without a medical authorization, because front side windows need 50%. A 35% reading is legal on the rear doors and rear window, but a film sold as 35% reads darker on factory glass; see the [window tint percentage chart](https://carglassfix.com/window-tint-percentage-chart/). ### How much is a tint ticket in Virginia? The tint law sets no amount, so Va. Code 46.2-113 caps a driver’s fine at the Class 4 misdemeanor level, which 18.2-11 sets at $250, plus court costs. A court may dismiss the summons if you show proof of compliance by the court date. ### Is 20% tint legal in Virginia? Not on a sedan, where every window except the windshield needs 35% or more. 20% film is legal on the rear side windows and rear window of an SUV, van or pickup, but not on any front side window. ## Sources - [Code of Virginia 46.2-1052, tinting films (checked 2026-10-28)](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title46.2/chapter10/section46.2-1052/) - [Code of Virginia 46.2-1053, medical sun-shading (checked 2026-10-28)](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title46.2/chapter10/section46.2-1053/) - [Code of Virginia 46.2-1054, objects obstructing view (checked 2026-10-28)](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title46.2/chapter10/section46.2-1054/) - [Code of Virginia 46.2-113, penalties (checked 2026-10-28)](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title46.2/chapter1/section46.2-113/) - [Code of Virginia 18.2-11, misdemeanor punishments (checked 2026-10-28)](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter1/section18.2-11/) - [19VAC30-70-210, glass and glazing inspection rule (checked 2026-10-28)](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title19/agency30/chapter70/section210/) - [19VAC30-70-220, mirrors inspection rule (checked 2026-10-28)](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title19/agency30/chapter70/section220/) - [Virginia DMV, Vehicle Sun-Shading Medical Authorization](https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/licenses-ids/license/medical/sunshading) - [Virginia DMV form MED 20, Sun-Shading Medical Authorization Application (rev. 11/10/2021)](https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/forms/med20.pdf) - [Virginia State Police, Vehicle Inspection FAQs](https://vsp.virginia.gov/public-safety-programs-center/vehicle-inspection-faqs/) - [Virginia State Police, Selected Acts of the 2026 General Assembly (S.B. 506, ch. 894)](https://vsp.es.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-SELECTED-ACTS-book-FINAL.docx) - [Virginia LIS, H.B. 5058 (2020 Special Session I) summary and history](https://legacylis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?202+sum+HB5058) - [Virginia LIS, S.B. 5029 (2020 Special Session I) summary and history](https://legacylis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?202+sum+SB5029) - [49 CFR 571.205, FMVSS 205 Glazing Materials](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/571.205)