Front side windows
Driver and front passenger windows must let at least 50% of light through, on every vehicle.
Read § 46.2-1052 ↗VIRGINIA TINT LAW
Know the limits.
Then pick the look.
Virginia sets tint limits by window and by vehicle type. Here's the short version, with links to the law.
VISIBLE LIGHT TRANSMISSION / VLT
Lower number.
Darker glass.
The percentage is how much light gets through. These are the limits in Va. Code § 46.2-1052.
Car rear glass
On cars, the rear side windows and the back window must let at least 35% through.
Read § 46.2-1052 ↗SUV & pickup rear glass
Rear side windows and the back window on SUVs, pickups and other multipurpose vehicles can go below 35%. Film on any window requires a side mirror on each side with a view 200 feet to the rear.
Read § 46.2-1052 ↗Reflectance
No film may reflect more than 20% of light, and holographic or prism effects aren't allowed.
Read § 46.2-1052 ↗What about the windshield?
Darkening film on the windshield is limited to the strip at the top that replaces the factory sunshield. Clear film that meets federal safety-glass rules (49 C.F.R. § 571.205) is allowed. A DMV medical authorization can add film that still passes at least 70% of light below that strip.
Is there a medical exemption?
For a medical condition made worse by sunlight, DMV can authorize film no darker than 35% on any window (form MED-20, with a signed statement from a physician, PA, NP, ophthalmologist or optometrist). Get the written authorization before tinting; DMV then marks 'sunshading' on the registration.
Does my vehicle count as an SUV or truck?
The law uses “multipurpose passenger vehicle”: built on a truck chassis or with off-road features, for ten people or fewer. Some crossovers and minivans are borderline, so ask before picking a shade.
Who gets in trouble for illegal tint?
A driver with illegal tint gets a traffic ticket. The person or shop that applies non-compliant film commits a Class 3 misdemeanor, Class 2 for repeat offenses.
Summary of Va. Code § 46.2-1052 and § 46.2-1053, checked September 2026. Not legal advice.
SHADE BY SHADE
How the shades read
Lower is darker. The number is the share of visible light the film lets through.
5%
- Near-black from outside
- Hard to see out at night
- Only for SUV and pickup rear glass in Virginia
20%
- Dark, private look
- Faces hard to make out
- SUV and pickup rear glass only
35%
- Medium; faces visible up close
- The darkest a car's rear glass can go
- Popular on sedans and hatchbacks
50%
- Light, close to factory
- The limit for front side windows
- Still cuts heat, especially in ceramic
YOUR NEXT MOVE
Your car.
Your ballpark.
Four taps gets you a price range. Then text it straight to Ayden.
