Virginia Tint Laws
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Virginia Tint Laws
Virginia car window tint laws were first passed in the year 1999 and are always subject to change, especially as new window film products and technologies come out, so it’s a good idea to check in on current Virginia window tint laws for cars any time you are considering getting window tint for a car, truck, van, or SUV that is registered in Virginia or if you are planning to transfer the title of a car with tint to a VA registration.
Most important of all for making sure your vehicle tint is legal in Virginia is making sure its visible light transmission rating, or VLT, meets the rules for the given vehicle type’s window. VLT ratings relate to how light or dark (see-through or opaque) and window is, and the lower the number, the darker and more private the tint, so 25% VLT is darker than 50% VLT which is darker than 75% VLT.
Vehicle window tinting is critical for keeping the interior of your car cooler and for rejecting the damaging UV sunlight that causes fade and cracking damage to the inside of the car, ruining the appearance of upholstery, the dashboard, and other surfaces and reducing the value of the vehicle.
Car tinting is a smart investment that can pay for itself over time because of to reduced energy consumption by the AC system and by preserving the re-sale value thanks to the maintained interior. However as illegal car window tint in Virginia can be a pricey violation, you need to make sure you only get legal window tint for your vehicle.
CLICK ON INDICATORS TO VIEW TINT LAWS FOR SPECIFIC WINDOWS
laws for suvs, trucks, & vans
Front Windows
All Vehicles
50% 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 from the AS1 Line up. This is the line extending from the letters AS-1, found on most motor vehicle windshields, running parallel to the top of the windshield.
laws for sedans & coupes
Front Windows
ALL VEHICLE TYPES
Includes Trucks, SUVs, Vans, Sedans, Coupes, & Hatchbacks
50% Tint (VLT%)
Rear Passenger Windows
for Sedans, Coupes, & Hatchbacks
35% Tint (VLT%)
Rear Window
for Sedans, Coupes, & Hatchbacks
35% Tint (VLT%)
Windshield Visor
ALL VEHICLE TYPES
Any shade of tint can be used from the AS1 Line up. 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.
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.