Georgia Tint Laws
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georgia Tint Laws
Georgia tint laws were originally enacted in 2005 and have been updated several times since. The state’s window tint laws are clear cut and are relatively permissive, but citation costs can add up, so it’s a good idea not to push your luck. The first thing to understand is that Georgia window tint law allows for a tolerance of 3% light transmission variance, so you have a bit of flexibility with the technical darkness of your tint.
To know how close your car, truck, or SUV’s tint is to being outside the law, you need to understand how tint darkness is calculated. Adding window film to the windows and windshield of a vehicle is arguably the best aftermarket enhancement you can make to your car. Window tinting a vehicle blocks harmful UV light and protects the surfaces in the cabin over the years, and on a more immediate basis, it reduces heat inside the car, making your vehicle more comfortable and meaning less fuel consumed by the AC.
Window tint also adds privacy and style to your vehicle, and it can cut the glare from the sunshine and make driving safer. All in all, it’s a good idea to use window tint, but you need to make sure you follow Georgia’s window tint laws or this welcome upgrade to your car may lead to an unwelcome citation.
The proper term for window film darkness is “Visible Light Transmission,” which is shortened to VLT. The higher the VLT rating, the clearer the window, the lower the rating, the darker the tint. (Limousines often have a 5% VLT which is called limo tint, e.g.). If your intention is to change the look of your vehicle and/or add privacy, you will want to go with a tint with a lower VLT rating; if you are more interested in UV and IR (infrared) light blocking, then even tints with very high VLT percentages (clearer, e.g.) can be very effective. In other words, darker tint adds privacy and style, but is not needed for cooling or sun protection.
Please note: The accuracy, completeness, adequacy or currency of the content is not warranted or guaranteed. We are not lawyers or a law firm and we do not provide legal advice. We recommend you consult a lawyer or other appropriate professional if you want legal advice.
CLICK ON INDICATORS TO VIEW TINT LAWS FOR SPECIFIC WINDOWS
suvs, trucks, & vans
Front Windows
All Vehicles
32% Tint (VLT%)
Rear Passenger Windows
Includes rear window and rear passenger
Any shade of tint can be used for trucks, SUVs, and vans ONLY
Rear Window
Includes rear window and rear passenger windows
Any shade of tint can be used for trucks, SUVs, and vans ONLY
Windshield Visor
ALL VEHICLE TYPES
Any shade of tint can be used 6" from the top of the windshield. This is the line extending from the letters AS-1, found on most motor vehicle windshields, running parallel to the top of the windshield.
sedans & coupes
Front Windows
ALL VEHICLE TYPES
Includes Trucks, SUVs, Vans, Sedans, Coupes, & Hatchbacks
32% Tint (VLT%)
Rear Passenger Windows
for Sedans, Coupes, & Hatchbacks
32% Tint (VLT%)
Rear Window
for Sedans, Coupes, & Hatchbacks
32% Tint (VLT%)
Windshield Visor
ALL VEHICLE TYPES
Any shade of tint can be used 6" from the top of the windshield.. This is the line extending from the letters AS-1, found on most motor vehicle windshields, running parallel to the top of the windshield.
% of Tint or Visible light transmission (VLT) is the measurement used to assess the amount of light passing through a piece of glass. This is the percent of visible light that passes through the film and glass to give you a net transmission percentage. The lower the VLT%, the darker the window.
Law Enforcement uses a tint meter which measures the Visible Light Transmittance (VLT) of window film and glass for illegal tint.
Windshield: Several states allow medical exemptions for drivers or passengers who frequently travel in the vehicle. These exemptions usually require a licensed physician in that state to sign a waiver. Please visit your states .gov site for details.
AS-1 Line: This is the line extending from the letters AS-1, found on most motor vehicle windshields, running parallel to the top of the windshield.
Georgia Code section 40-8-73.1: Affixing of materials which reduce light transmission or increase light reflectance through windows. (open link and expand “Title 40” click through navigation to section 40-8-73.1)
Click above to download the Nationwide Medical Exemptions Window Tinting Directory.
If you’re driving a truck or SUV built in the last decade, chances are it’s equipped with factory tinted glass on all windows behind the front doors.
Many owners of vehicles like this often choose to only have the front windows tinted to match the back because they believe that they are already set with the rear windows.
UV Protection
While this factory tint improves the looks of the vehicle, and offers rear passengers some privacy, it does very little to help reduce the heat entering through the glass or protect them from the sun’s harmful UV rays.
Heat Rejection
The same also goes for heat rejection. Some assume that the level of heat rejection they will on the front glass is already present in the rear glass because of the factory tint. Nothing can be further from the truth. Other than having the tinted look, these windows do very little to stop the heat.
To find out what options you have to protecting your passengers and vehicles interior, click here.