What Is the Sticker on My Windshield? Types and Meanings
Senior Automotive Glass Diagnostic Specialist & Master Technician at CarGlassFix · AGSC Master Certified Auto Glass Technician, NGA Certified Installer, I-CAR Automotive Safety Specialist · 12+ Years in Automotive Glazing, Windshield Structural Bonding, ADAS Camera Calibration & Precision Chip Restoration
The sticker on your windshield is usually a state inspection or emissions sticker, a registration sticker or a toll tag. State stickers go in the lower left corner on the driver’s side in Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York and Texas. Toll tags sit behind the rearview mirror. The small print in a bottom corner is the glass maker’s label.
What the sticker on your windshield is
Most windshield stickers come from a state agency, a local government or a toll authority, and the issuing body sets where each one goes. A state sticker shows that the car passed inspection or that its registration is current. A toll tag lets a toll agency charge your account without a stop. Cities, dealers and oil-change shops add their own stickers. Some marks belong to the glass itself.
| Sticker or mark | Issued by | Usual spot |
|---|---|---|
| Inspection or emissions sticker | State inspection program | Lower left corner, driver’s side |
| Registration sticker | State DMV, in Texas and New York | Lower left corner |
| Toll tag | Toll agency | Behind the rearview mirror |
| City, county or parking sticker | Local government or employer | Set by the issuer and state law |
| Dealer transponder or barcode sticker | Car dealer | Driver’s side edge, near the top |
| Oil-change reminder | Service shop | Inside, facing the driver |
| Glass label (bug) and black dots (frit) | Glass maker | Bottom corner; edges and mirror area |
Two stickers side by side in the lower left corner are common. In New York, the registration sticker sits to the right of the inspection sticker. In Virginia, a county or city sticker normally sits to the right of the inspection sticker.
State inspection, emissions and registration stickers
A state inspection or registration sticker goes on the inside of the windshield, in the lower left corner as seen from the driver’s seat, in the states that use one. Each state writes its own placement rule.
| State | Sticker | Rule or meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia | Safety inspection | At least 1 in from the left edge; top edge about 4 in up; 1 in above a heated grid (19VAC30-70-50) |
| Pennsylvania | Safety, plus emission certificate where tested | Extreme lower left inside corner; never over the old one (67 Pa. Code 175.41) |
| Massachusetts | Inspection | Black number: passed. Red R: failed safety or both. Black R: failed emissions |
| New York | Inspection and registration | Registration to the right of the inspection sticker, clear of the VIN (15 NYCRR 17.4) |
| Texas | Registration only | Lower left corner; shows month and year, such as 03/26 (Transp. Code 502.059) |
| California, North Carolina | None | California tabs go on the rear plate; North Carolina records inspections electronically |
A rejection sticker means the car failed. In Massachusetts, a car with a red or black R must be repaired and pass within 60 calendar days of the first failure. Texas ended safety inspections for non-commercial vehicles on January 1, 2025, under House Bill 3297. Emissions tests still apply in 17 Texas counties, including Harris, Dallas and Travis. In those counties, TxDMV says the car must pass before the registration can be renewed.
Toll tags: E-ZPass, SunPass, TxTag and others
A toll tag is a transponder issued by a toll agency, and most agencies want it behind the rearview mirror near the top of the windshield. The exact spot differs by agency, so follow the instructions that came with your tag.
| Tag or rule | Where it goes |
|---|---|
| E-ZPass Delaware | At least 1 in right of the mirror’s center support and 1 in below the roofline |
| TxTag and EZ TAG (TxDOT) | Sticker behind the mirror, at least 4 in below the top edge, applied above 50°F |
| SunPass PRO (THEA) | At least 2 in below the windshield frame or a solar strip |
| SunPass Mini (THEA) | Sticker on the glass with no air bubbles; stops working once removed |
| Virginia inspection rule | Top center at the roof line, just above the mirror |
| California Vehicle Code 26708 | A 5-in square at the top center |
TxDOT’s 4-inch rule keeps the tag away from metal, which can interfere with the signal. E-ZPass Delaware says trucks, buses and some passenger vehicles may need an exterior tag on the license plate. Our guide to heat insulating (solar) glass in a car explains coated windshields. TxDOT warns against moving a sticker tag between vehicles, because removal can damage the chip. TxDOT says a new or replacement sticker is ordered as an EZ TAG through HCTRA, the Harris County Toll Road Authority.
Parking permits, dealer stickers and oil-change reminders
Parking permits, dealer stickers and service reminders come from businesses and local governments, and state law limits where they can go. Virginia’s inspection rules reject any windshield sticker “other than an official one required by law or permitted by the superintendent.”
- City and county stickers. Virginia allows them up to 2 1/2 by 4 inches, normally right next to the inspection sticker.
- Parking permits. The issuer sets the placement. California lets a disabled parking placard be used when it hangs from the rearview mirror.
- Dealer stickers. Virginia lets a dealer apply a transponder sticker up to 1 by 4 inches and a barcode sticker up to 3 by 4 inches on the driver’s side edge. Both stay above the AS-1 line and come off at sale.
- New-car price label. Under 15 U.S.C. 1232, the automaker attaches this label to the windshield or a side window. Willfully removing it before delivery to the buyer can bring a fine of up to $1,000.
- Oil-change reminders. Cling maker Stouse describes service reminders as static cling vinyl that holds on clean glass without adhesive. The cling goes inside the windshield, facing the driver.
Marks printed on the glass: the label and the dots
The print in a bottom corner is the glass label, and the black band and dots are fired-on enamel called frit. Neither one is a sticker. Glass.com advises against removing the label.
The industry calls the label the bug. FMVSS 205 requires the letters “DOT” and a maker code that NHTSA assigns. “AS1” marks windshield-grade laminated glass. A digit with dots gives the production date, decoded in how to find the manufacturing date on a windshield. The other codes are in how to tell if car glass is laminated or tempered.
A 2017 patent by glass maker AGP America says the frit band became common in the 1980s, when windshields began to be bonded with polyurethane. The band hides the adhesive and blocks UV light that would harm it. Rows of smaller dots reduce optical distortion at its edge. Jalopnik reported that the dots behind the mirror, the third visor frit, block sun between the visors.
The frit around the mirror often hides a camera, and Mazda says even a transparent sticker near its forward camera can affect how it works. See how to tell if your windshield has a camera. The number visible through the glass near the left pillar is the VIN, which 49 CFR 565.13 places inside the car.
Where stickers are allowed: federal and state rules
Stickers that a law requires are allowed on the windshield, and most other items are limited to small areas near the edges. The clearest measurements come from the federal rule for trucks and buses and from California’s vehicle code.
| Rule | Area allowed |
|---|---|
| 49 CFR 393.60(e)(2), trucks and buses | Required stickers and CVSA decals within 4 1/2 in (115 mm) of the bottom, outside the wiper sweep |
| 49 CFR 393.60(e)(1), trucks and buses | Antennas and similar devices within 6 in (152 mm) of the top |
| California Vehicle Code 26708(b)(3) | A 7-in square in the lower corner farthest from the driver, or a 5-in square in the corner nearest the driver |
| Texas Transportation Code 547.613 | Sunscreening no lower than the AS-1 line or 5 in from the top, whichever is higher |
| Virginia 19VAC30-70-210 | Shading or lettering no lower than the AS-1 line, or 3 in from the top without one |
| New York Vehicle and Traffic Law 375 | No nontransparent material other than a certificate or paper required by law |
The federal rule also keeps stickers out of the driver’s sight lines to signs and signals. The AS-1 line is a mark near the top edge of many windshields. Texas and Virginia use it as the lower limit for tint strips and lettering. Texas exempts a window that carries a certificate required by law. For decorative stickers, our guide answers can you put stickers on your windshield state by state.
What happens to your stickers when the windshield is replaced
A windshield replacement means moving or reissuing the stickers, and the state or toll agency decides which. Safelite says its technicians remove inspection stickers and re-apply them where the law permits. In states that do not allow re-application, Safelite says the customer must buy a new sticker within 3 to 5 days.
| Sticker | After a windshield replacement |
|---|---|
| Virginia inspection | A valid sticker may move to the new windshield, never to another car |
| Pennsylvania inspection | On request, the installer cuts out the glass with the certificate; drive up to 5 days with it until a station issues a replacement |
| Massachusetts inspection | No duplicates. The glass provider transfers the sticker by an approved process, or the car is reinspected |
| New York inspection | If unusable, reinspect or order a replacement with form VS-118 |
| Texas registration | Form VTR-60 at the county tax office; $6.50 in Tarrant County |
| SunPass Mini, TxTag or EZ TAG sticker | Order a new tag; removal ends or can damage the old one |
Ask the glass shop which stickers it will move. A suction-cup tag such as the SunPass PRO lifts off by its tabs. A new windshield on a car with a forward camera may also need calibration, explained in how sensors are calibrated after windshield replacement.
How to remove old stickers without scratching the glass or tint
Remove an old sticker only when the rules allow it, then soften the adhesive and lift the sticker without a blade on any inside surface with tint or printed wires. Pennsylvania bars removing a valid certificate except to replace it. New York requires old or expired windshield stickers to come off before a current one goes on. Film maker LLumar says tint is typically applied to the inside surface, and rear windows can carry printed defroster lines.
How to remove an old windshield sticker safely
Check the rules
Confirm the sticker is expired or being replaced.
Find out what is under it
Look for tint film or printed wires on the inside surface.
Soften the sticker
Ram’s manual says labels on the heated rear window peel off after soaking with warm water. Goo Gone says its Automotive Spray Gel is safe on glass.
Lift it without a blade on film or wires
Gila says not to use a razor scraper or sharp tools on inside glass with printed electrical wires.
Clear the residue
Wipe with a clean white cloth, then wash with soapy water, as Goo Gone directs. Test any product on a hidden spot first.
For methods by window type, see how to remove stickers from car windows. Glue left by a mirror mount or dash cam is covered in how to remove adhesive from a windshield.
Frequently asked questions
What is the sticker on my windshield called?
Pennsylvania calls its inspection sticker a certificate of inspection, and Texas law calls the registration sticker a registration insignia. Toll agencies call theirs a tag or transponder.
What should I do if my windshield sticker falls off?
New York lets you reattach an inspection sticker with clear tape or order a replacement with form VS-118. In Virginia, a State Police trooper can replace a lost sticker with a receipt from the past 11 months.
Can I move my inspection sticker to a new windshield?
In Virginia, yes. Pennsylvania uses the cut-out piece for up to 5 days, and Massachusetts lets the glass provider transfer the sticker by an approved process.
What is the AS-1 line on my windshield?
The AS-1 line is a mark near the top of many windshields that Texas and Virginia use as the lower limit for tint strips and lettering. Read is it illegal to tint your windshield for the tint rules.
What is the sticker at the top of my windshield?
A sticker at the top center is usually a toll tag. A small sticker on the driver’s side edge may be a dealer transponder or barcode sticker, which Virginia dealers must remove at sale.
Sources
- 49 CFR 393.60, Glazing in specified openings (FMCSA), paragraph (e) (checked 24 October 2026)
- 49 CFR 565.13, VIN location (checked 24 October 2026)
- 49 CFR 571.205, FMVSS 205 Glazing materials (checked 24 October 2026)
- 15 U.S.C. 1232 and 15 U.S.C. 1233, new-car price label (checked 24 October 2026)
- California Vehicle Code 26708, 5204 and 22511.55 (checked 24 October 2026)
- 19VAC30-70-50, Virginia inspection sticker placement and 19VAC30-70-210, Virginia windshield inspection (checked 24 October 2026)
- 67 Pa. Code 175.41 and 67 Pa. Code 175.43, Pennsylvania certificates of inspection (checked 24 October 2026)
- Mass Vehicle Check: my vehicle failed inspection
- NY DMV: about New York State inspections and NYS DMV memo P-5 (2011), 15 NYCRR 17.4(d) and 174.2
- New York Vehicle and Traffic Law 375 (checked 24 October 2026)
- Texas Transportation Code 502.059 and 547.613 (checked 24 October 2026)
- TxDMV: checklist for new Texans (January 2025) and TxDMV single-sticker calendar
- Tarrant County Tax Office: lost, damaged or stolen sticker
- NCDMV: emissions and safety inspections
- E-ZPass Delaware: mounting your transponder
- TxDOT: how toll tags work
- Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA): how to install a SunPass transponder
- Glass.com: decoding your car’s windshield bug
- AGP America, US patent 9,623,634 B2 (USPTO): obscuration for a laminated automotive windshield (2017)
- Jalopnik: what the black dots at the edge of your windshield do (2017)
- Mazda owner’s manual: forward sensing camera
- Safelite: what to expect
- Stouse: static stick service clings
- LLumar: automotive tint FAQ
- Ram 2500/3500 owner’s manual (2022): rear defrost
- Goo Gone Automotive Spray Gel
- Gila static cling installation instructions (09/2023)
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