No, 5% window tint is not legal in Washington on a standard passenger car. State law requires that every window other than the windshield let at least 24% of visible light through, and 5% film sits far below that floor. The one situation where 5% can be legal is on the windows behind the driver of an SUV, van, truck, limousine, or similar vehicle, and even then the front side windows and windshield still have to meet the regular rules.
The 24% Minimum and Why “35% Film” Can Still Fail
Washington measures tint by Visible Light Transmission, the percentage of outside light that makes it through the glass and any film combined. RCW 46.37.430 sets the minimum at 24% VLT on all windows except the windshield.1Washington State Legislature. Washington Code RCW 46.37.430 – Safety Glazing – Sunscreening or Coloring At 5%, limo-grade film blocks 95% of light, which is nowhere close to compliant on a sedan or coupe.
The practical trap is that film ratings and installed readings are not the same number. A product sold as “35% tint” meets the film-only standard measured against clear glass, but factory window glass already reduces some light on its own. Put the film on the factory glass and the combined reading can drop below 24%. What matters at a traffic stop is the final reading taken through the installed window, not the number on the box.
Officers measure that reading with a photometer pressed against the glass, which gives a digital VLT percentage on the spot. A 5% window registers immediately and leaves no room to argue.
The Windshield Is Stricter
Nothing that visibly darkens the main viewing area of the windshield is legal in Washington. You can apply clear film that blocks ultraviolet light, and you can run a transparent darker band along the top edge as long as it extends no more than six inches down and does not reach into the AS-1 marked area.1Washington State Legislature. Washington Code RCW 46.37.430 – Safety Glazing – Sunscreening or Coloring A 5% film anywhere on the main windshield surface is a clear violation.
Where 5% Tint Can Legally Go
Larger vehicles get more latitude on the glass behind the driver. Trucks, motor homes, and multipurpose passenger vehicles (which covers most SUVs and vans), along with hearses, collector vehicles, limousines used for hire, ambulances, and licensed emergency medical vehicles, can run film darker than 24% on any window to the rear of the driver.1Washington State Legislature. Washington Code RCW 46.37.430 – Safety Glazing – Sunscreening or Coloring On those vehicles, 5% on the rear side windows and back glass is permitted.
Two conditions still apply. The reflectance of the rear film has to stay at 35% or below, and the vehicle must have outside rearview mirrors on both the left and right sides. The front two side windows have to meet the same 24% VLT minimum as any passenger car, so a fully blacked-out front is not an option even on an SUV.1Washington State Legislature. Washington Code RCW 46.37.430 – Safety Glazing – Sunscreening or Coloring
A sedan or coupe gets no equivalent exception. Every side window and the back glass have to hit 24% or higher.
Medical Exemption
The only legal path to darker tint on an ordinary passenger car is a medical exemption. Washington allows darker film on all windows and on the top six inches of the windshield for anyone who has a written verification from a licensed physician stating the person needs to be shielded from sunlight for physical or medical reasons.1Washington State Legislature. Washington Code RCW 46.37.430 – Safety Glazing – Sunscreening or Coloring The exemption covers both drivers and passengers, so the vehicle can carry the darker film as long as the person who needs it is inside.
The statute does not list specific qualifying diagnoses. Conditions involving severe photosensitivity, such as lupus, porphyria, xeroderma pigmentosum, and certain medication-induced sensitivities, are among the ones physicians commonly certify.
Keep the physician’s written statement in the vehicle at all times. An officer stopping you for dark windows has no way to know you qualify until you produce it, and failing to show the documentation during the stop leaves you unprotected in that moment.
What a Ticket Costs
Illegal tint is a traffic infraction, and officers can pull you over for dark windows alone without needing a separate reason for the stop. The total penalty for a standard Washington traffic infraction runs about $150, made up of a $48 base fine plus statutory assessments for court systems, trauma care, auto theft prevention, and related funds.2Washington Courts. Anatomy of a Standard Infraction Penalty July 2025 The exact amount can shift slightly by jurisdiction once local administrative fees are added.
The ticket is not the only exposure. The Department of Licensing has authority to suspend the registration of any vehicle it finds is not equipped with compliant glazing, and that suspension stays in place until the vehicle is brought back into compliance.1Washington State Legislature. Washington Code RCW 46.37.430 – Safety Glazing – Sunscreening or Coloring Professional removal of aftermarket film generally runs $25 to $400 depending on how many windows need stripping and how cooperative the old adhesive turns out to be.