What is the darkest tint allowed in california

Oct 21, 2020

Window tinting has a lot of benefits for your car and yourself, protecting from harmful UV rays, glare, and heat. However, in California, you may get pulled over for tinted windows, if these are not complying with the laws.

Here is a quick guide on Car Window Tinting Laws in California:

• First, there are strict limits on how dark the windshield and the front side tinted windows may be: 70% VLT. This means that the tint should allow at least 70% of visible light to get through.
• Keep in mind that if you install a window tint on your car that left the factory already tinted to some degree, then the aftermarket tint may not be lower than 88% VLT. This film combined with the factory tint should be 70% VLT.
• If your dermatologist recommends you to get stronger protection against UV rays, then there are some medical exemptions for lower tint on all windows.
• The tint may cover up to 4 inches of the top of the windshield.
• Provided that your car has dual side mirrors, then California Car Window Tint Laws allow you to use any darkness on the rear window.
• The back side windows may be tinted with any film, there is no restriction on the level of darkness.
• However, California laws do not permit using red, amber, or blue tint colors, and the side windows must be colorless.
• Finally, keep in mind that any tint added to any car window must be non-reflective.

We fully comply with the California car window tinting regulations. Once we install the tints, we will also provide you with the required certificate proving that the film respects the state rules. Make a tinting appointment here!

On this page we have done our best to collect all of the legal information necessary about California tint law, including how dark the tint is allowed to be and how reflective the tint is allowed to be in California. Aside from the basics, like tint percentages, there are also additional car window tinting rules and regulations in California that we have made available.

California window tint law was first put into place in 1999 with California being the 32nd of the 50 states to enact these tinting laws.

• What does VLT Mean according to California State Law
• California Tint Law – Legal Tint Limit For Passenger Vehicles
  • • California Tinting Law Video:
    • HOW MUCH DOES CAR WINDOW TINTING COST? The cost of tinting your car windows can be very affordable. If you want to learn how much it costs to tint your car, click here.
• California Tint Law – Legal Tint Limit For Multi-Purpose Vehicles
• Want to D-I-Y?
• Other California Window Tint law Rules And Regulations:
• California Automotive Window Tint Law References
• California Window Tint Medical Exemption References
• State of California Information
  • • What is the Capital of California
    • What is the population of California
    • What is the area of California
  • California Wikipedia Page
  • Official California state Website

What does VLT Mean according to California State Law

The percentage of light that a window tint film allows to pass through your car windows is called the VLT (Visible Light Transmission), and each state has different legal allowable limits. The amount of light allowed to pass through your film and glass in California is very specific to the state and is different for Passenger Vehicles and Multi-Purpose Vehicles.

A HIGHER VLT means that more light is allowed to pass through the window tint film.
Example: a 75% tint will allow 75% of the light to pass through whereas a 5% tint will only allow 5% of the light to pass through, making the 5% tint a much darker film.

California Tint Law – Legal Tint Limit For Passenger Vehicles

• Front Windshield: Non-reflective tint is allowed on the top 4 inches of the windshield (AS-1 line).
• Front seat side windows: up to 88% tint darkness allowed with aftermarket film – up to 70% tint darkness allowed if combined with factory-tinted windows.
• Back seat side windows: Any tint darkness can be used
• Rear window: Any tint darkness can be used

California Tinting Law Video:

HOW MUCH DOES CAR WINDOW TINTING COST? The cost of tinting your car windows can be very affordable. If you want to learn how much it costs to tint your car, click here.

California Tint Law – Legal Tint Limit For Multi-Purpose Vehicles

• Front Windshield: Non-reflective tint is allowed on the top 4 inches of the windshield.
• Front seat side windows: up to 88% tint darkness allowed with aftermarket film – up to 70% tint darkness allowed if combined with factory-tinted windows.
• Back seat side windows: Any tint darkness can be used
• Rear window: Any tint darkness can be used

Other California Window Tint law Rules And Regulations:

California has a few other important things that you will need to consider regarding window tinting and we recommend that you check them out before deciding whether or not you tint your windows:

• Do I have to have side mirrors in California? Dual side mirrors are required on your car in California if the rear window is tinted.
• Is colored tint illegal in California? All tint colors are allowed in California except Red, Amber and Blue. You are not legally allowed to have any colored tint on your side windows.
• What are the Window Tint Certification Rules in California? Manufacturers of film must certify the film they sell in California. Drivers must have the name and address of the tint manufacturer on the certificate. Drivers are also required to have the certificate in his/her possession while driving.
• Do I need a certified sticker from the company installing my window tint in California? State law requires a certificate or a sticker from the installing company and the film manufacturer’s name and address.
• Are there Medical Exemptions in California for Window Tint? California law allows medical exemptions for lower tint on all windows since September 2017.

Always remember that California tint laws can change on a daily basis and these rules and regulations may be interpreted differently on a city to city or county to county basis. We recommend double-checking the information contained on this website with your local DMV or local law enforcement agencies for accuracy. This information relating to window tint laws in California was last updated on August 22nd, 2022. Tinting laws in California were enacted in 1999. In case any of our info provided is not up to date or correct be sure to contact us so we can fix it. Thanks!

California Automotive Window Tint Law References

CALIFORNIA VEHICLE CODE – VEH DIVISION 12. EQUIPMENT OF VEHICLES [24000 – 28160]

California Window Tint Medical Exemption References

California State Law allows window tint medical exemptions to be given to vehicle owners. To file for a medical exemption in California you will need a letter stating the medical necessity for darker window tints that is signed by a licensed physician. If your physician determines it is in your best interest to be exempt from California Window Tint Laws for diseases and disorders, you can file an exemption.

You are required to carry the physical medical exemption certification with you at all times in your vehicle if you have window tint installed on the side windows in the front seat or on the windshield.

It is also stated in the law that the window tint installed according to these medical exemptions shall not be used during darkness. This seems to imply that your car may be rendered useless or at least illegal to drive at night. Only clear, colorless, and transparent film may be applied to your windshield and front windows according to the California window tint medical exemption rules. If an alternative type of window tint film is found to have been applied to the vehicle, authorities may require you to remove the tint.

For more information regarding window tint medical exemptions in California you can check out this resource:

• 2017 California Window Tint Medical Exemptions – Assembly Bill no. 1303

State of California Information

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is the most populous U.S. state, home to 1 out of 8 Americans, and is the third-largest state by area (after Alaska and Texas). It is home to the nation’s second and fifth-largest census statistical areas (Greater Los Angeles area and San Francisco Bay Area, respectively), and eight of the nation’s 50 most populated cities (Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, Long Beach, and Oakland). The capital city is Sacramento.

What is the Capital of California

The capital of California is Sacramento

What is the population of California

The population of California is 39,512,223 according to Wikipedia as of 2019.

What is the area of California

The area of California is 163,696 square miles and ranks as the 3rd largest state in the United States!

What are the main cities located in California?

Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Lake, Lassen, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Placer, Plumas, Riverside, Sacramento, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Ventura, Yolo, Yuba

What are the main counties located in California?

Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, San Jose, Oakland, Santa Barbara, Mountain View, Pasadena, Anaheim, Beverly Hills, Berkeley, Monterey, Long Beach, Palm Springs, Santa Monica, Hollister, Malibu, Fresno, Bakersfield, Palo Alto, Big Sur, Calabasas, Irvine, Newport Beach, Cupertino, Huntington Beach, Napa, Temecula, Modesto, Torrance, Santa Cruz, Laguna Beach, San Luis Obispo, Riverside, Sunnyvale, Stockton, Pleasanton, Ontario, Ventura, Fremont, Menlo Park, Orange, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Carlsbad, Burbank, Santa Rosa, Solvang, Eureka