To apply for the Alabama window tint exemption, mail three items together to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA): the completed application form from ALEA’s Driver License Division, a written certification from an Alabama-licensed physician, and the processing fee. Once ALEA approves the application, the agency issues a decal and an exemption certificate for the specific vehicle you named.
Who Can Apply
The exemption is available to anyone who needs to be shielded from direct sunlight for medical reasons, and it covers a vehicle you own or one you ride in regularly as a habitual passenger.1Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 32-5C-4 – Medical Exemptions The certifying doctor must be licensed to practice medicine in Alabama. A letter from an out-of-state physician will not satisfy the requirement.2Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Alabama Tinting Regulations
Light-sensitive porphyria is treated differently from other conditions. When the applicant has porphyria, the physician can specify the tint level for all areas of the windshield and windows, and ALEA must follow that prescription. For other qualifying conditions, ALEA may issue the exemption with whatever conditions and limitations it considers appropriate, which may not match what the doctor requests.1Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 32-5C-4 – Medical Exemptions
What Goes in the Application Packet
The Form Itself
Request the current application from ALEA’s Driver License Division, Medical Records Unit. The form asks for your personal identifying information and details about the vehicle receiving the exemption, so have the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), make, model, and year on hand before you fill it out. If you are applying as a habitual passenger rather than the owner, note that clearly on the form.
The Physician’s Written Certification
The statute requires a written statement from an Alabama-licensed physician confirming that you need to be shielded from direct sunlight for medical reasons.1Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 32-5C-4 – Medical Exemptions Include the physician’s printed name, signature, and state medical license number so ALEA can verify credentials.
If you have porphyria, ask your physician to identify which specific areas of the windshield and windows should be tinted, because the law gives that recommendation controlling weight. For any other condition, ask the physician to describe the medical need in enough detail that ALEA has a basis for deciding what level of tinting to authorize.
The Processing Fee
The statute allows ALEA to charge a reasonable fee for each decal issued, with the proceeds funding decal design and program administration.1Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 32-5C-4 – Medical Exemptions Call the Medical Records Unit at 334-242-4239 to confirm the current fee and accepted payment methods before you mail the packet.2Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Alabama Tinting Regulations Ask specifically whether personal checks are accepted or whether a money order or certified check is required.
Where to Send It
Mail the form, the physician’s letter, and payment together to:
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency
Driver License Division, Medical Records Unit
P.O. Box 1471
Montgomery, AL 361022Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Alabama Tinting Regulations
Before sealing the envelope, confirm every field on the form is complete, the physician’s letter is signed with a license number, and payment is enclosed. Incomplete packets get returned. ALEA reviews applications individually and verifies the physician’s credentials, so allow several weeks. If anything on your application is unclear, the agency may contact you, so keep the phone number and mailing address current.
Do not have darker tint installed before your approval arrives. An application in progress does not authorize non-compliant tint.
What You Receive After Approval
ALEA issues a decal with a unique identification number and an exemption document. Place the decal on the windshield of the exempted vehicle, where it signals to law enforcement that the tint is authorized.1Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 32-5C-4 – Medical Exemptions Keep the exemption certificate in the vehicle so you can confirm the details quickly during a traffic stop.
The exemption ties to a specific vehicle. The statute does not address transferring an exemption from one vehicle to another, so if you change cars, call the Medical Records Unit before you install tint on the new vehicle to find out whether you need to reapply, get a new decal, or both.
Why the Paperwork Is Worth Doing
Without an approved exemption, driving with tint that violates Alabama’s standards is a misdemeanor. A first offense carries up to a $100 fine, up to 10 days in jail, or both. A second offense within one year rises to as much as a $200 fine and up to 30 days in jail. A third or subsequent offense within the same year can bring a fine of up to $500 and up to three months in jail.3Justia. Alabama Code 32-5C-7 – Penalties
Two Things the Exemption Does Not Cover
Active and retired state, local, and federal law enforcement officers have a separate exemption for their personal vehicles and do not need the medical waiver. That exemption applies as long as the officer is in the vehicle and carrying law enforcement identification.4Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 32-5C-2 – Prohibitions Against Operation of Motor Vehicle Under Conditions Which Reduce Light Transmission; Exceptions
Your Alabama exemption also does not bind other states. Each state sets its own tint standards and its own rules for medical exemptions, so a decal issued by ALEA does not guarantee you will avoid a citation elsewhere. If you frequently cross state lines, carry the exemption certificate and the physician’s letter with you, and check the tint rules in states you drive through.