California Tint laws were legislated in 1999 to ensure passenger safety and to prevent traffic accidents caused by illegal tints, as illegal tints can lead to poor visibility. However the tinted windows offer benefits including enhanced Privacy and reduce the Impact of Sunlight and harmful UV rays which makes a comfortable drive experience. Additionally Tinted windows keeps your automobile cool by limiting the transmission of Sunlight.
Darkness of tinted window refers to amount of Visible Light transmission through your car windows, the lower the VLT percentage, darker the tint.
If you are planning to Tint your Vehicle windows, please follow the Law for tinted windows in California to avoid any legal consequences.
Overview of California Tint Laws
California Tint Laws for Sedan and SUV vehicles are summarized in the below image.
Darkest Legal Tint in California
Here is the breakdown of darkest legal tint in California for Sedan Cars or SUV and Multipurpose vehicles . Drivers and Motor vehicle owner should obey these tint limits to avoid violations and legal actions taken by the concerned authorities.
| State | Front Side Windows | Back Side Windows | Rear Windows | Windshield | Tint Reflection | Color Tints |
| California | 70% | Any | any | 4 Inches from Top | Not Reflective than standard car windows | Red and amber color tints are not allowed. |
Window Tint Reflection
Reflective window tints are not allowed. As per Vehicle code 26708 The tinted windows material should not reflect sunlight and headlight glare into the eyes of passengers of oncoming and following vehicles to any greater extent than a windshield without material. Before installing any type of tinted materials, make sure to it must not be reflective, mirrored or shiny in appearance.
Other Rules and Regulations for Tinted Windows
Along with Windows Tint Darkness and Tint Reflection, DMV California implemented some other rules and regulations for the vehicles with tinted windows, which are listed below:
- Restricted Color Tints: Red and Amber color tints are not allowed.
- Side Mirrors: Dual Side Mirrors are mandatory if the rear window is tinted.
- Certificate of Windows Film: Tinting material manufacturers must certify that Tinting Material is legal and the Vehicle owner or driver should have the certificate in their possession while driving.
Exemptions
California allows lower tints for your Vehicle Windows under some medical conditions related to Vision and Skin. If you have certain medical conditions which require a shield from direct sunlight or UV Rays you can apply for Medical Exemptions.
In case of skin related issues, we recommend you to install Ceramic Tint type on your vehicle windows as it blocks 99% of harmful UVA and UVB rays. Ceramic tint types by 3M are also recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation.
An assembly bill was issued to amend Section 26708 of the Vehicle Code AB-1303 Vehicles: window tinting which permits the installation of darker tints under some medical conditions.
How to Apply for Medical Exemption?
You have to submit the form to your physician or dermatologist and get it duly signed and certified to submit in the department of motor vehicles, after reviewing the process you’ll get the Medical Exemption Certificate. After getting the certificate, motorists can install darker tints on the front windshield.
Penalties for Violating Tint Laws
A sedan, SUV or Truck can be pulled over by a police officer if he suspects a motorist is using illegal tints. Many police officers issue a warning for the first time to fix the tints.
Second Tint Violation could be a $25 fine due to non-compliance of California Tint laws.
If a driver is pulled over by police a third time due to violating the state tint laws, motorist will be fined $200 and a civil infraction. Further stops due to Tint Law violation can result in more serious legal actions and moving the motorist in criminal category due to continuous offense.
How to test if the Tint is Legal?
The best way to test window tint percentage is by using a tint meter. Police officers and tint installers test the Visible Light Transmission percentage by using the Tint Meters to ensure legal tint is installed as per state laws. It is also mandatory in the USA that tint installers paste the sticker on tinted windows to certify legal tint is installed along with the name of the company and address.
Frequently Asked Questions
Disclaimer: The provided information regarding the Automobile window tint laws is up to date and confirmed through our sources. If you have any further query regarding Window tint requirements and rules, please consult with nearby Department of Motor Vehicles.