Legal Tint in VA: Limits, Mirrors, and Medical Exemptions

Legal tint in Virginia is governed by Virginia Code § 46.2-1052, which sets a minimum Visible Light Transmission (VLT) of 50% on the front side windows of every vehicle and 35% on the rear side and rear windows of standard passenger cars. SUVs and pickup trucks have no VLT limit behind the driver. The windshield cannot be tinted at all except to replace the factory sunshield strip at the top. Driving with tint outside these limits is a traffic infraction; installing it is a misdemeanor.¹

Tint Limits by Window and Vehicle Type

VLT is the percentage of outside light that passes through the glass. Higher numbers mean lighter film. For a standard passenger car, Virginia sets three thresholds:

Front side windows must allow at least 50% VLT.
Rear side windows and the rear window must allow at least 35% VLT.
The windshield cannot carry any tinting film, except to replace the sunshield strip in the uppermost area as originally installed by the manufacturer.

The windshield rule is tied to the factory design on your particular vehicle rather than to a fixed measurement, so the allowable top strip varies by model.¹

Multipurpose passenger vehicles and pickup trucks follow the same 50% minimum on the front side windows. Behind the driver, though, Virginia places no VLT limit on the rear side windows or rear window. You can run those as dark as you want, including full blackout film.¹

Reflectivity and Other Film Restrictions

Darkness is not the only limit. No window on any vehicle may have film with a reflectance exceeding 20%, which rules out heavily mirrored or chrome-look tint. Virginia also bans any film that produces a holographic or prism effect, and prohibits operating a vehicle with any colored or sun-shading material on the windshield, side windows, or rear window unless it falls within the VLT limits above.¹

Required Side Mirrors

Any vehicle with tinted windows must have a side-view mirror on each side that gives the driver a view of at least 200 feet behind the vehicle. This applies to every tinted vehicle regardless of how dark the film is.¹

Medical Exemption for Darker Tint

Drivers with a medical need for extra sun protection can apply for a sun-shading authorization under Virginia Code § 46.2-1053. The exemption lowers the limits but does not remove them. Even with a medical waiver, the caps are:

Windshield: 35% VLT in the upper area down to the AS-1 line, and 70% VLT on the rest of the windshield.
Front side windows: 35% VLT, instead of the usual 50%.
Rear side windows and rear window: 35% VLT.

The form itself states that the law does not authorize tint darker than these medical levels, even with a doctor’s recommendation.²

How to Apply

You file DMV Form MED-20, the Sun-Shading Medical Authorization Application. The form has a vehicle and personal information section and a medical certification. A physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, ophthalmologist, or optometrist must sign the certification confirming that sun-shading is necessary for your health and describing the condition. Your vehicle must also have outside mirrors on both sides to qualify. Submit the completed form at any DMV customer service center, by mail to DMV Data Integrity at PO Box 27412, Richmond, Virginia 23269-0001, or by fax to (804) 367-1384.²³

Once approved, DMV issues a new vehicle registration card with “sunshading” printed in the Special Conditions space. That card is your proof during a traffic stop. The authorization stays valid until you sell or transfer the vehicle, or the medical condition no longer exists, at which point you must remove the tint.³

What Happens If Your Tint Is Illegal

Virginia treats drivers and installers very differently.

For the Driver

Driving with tint that violates the VLT, reflectivity, or holographic-effect rules is a traffic infraction. No demerit points are added to your record. Officers use a portable tint meter during traffic stops, and Virginia builds in a tolerance of minus seven percentage points on those readings to account for equipment variability.¹

A judge has discretion to dismiss a tint citation if you appear with proof that the vehicle is now in compliance. Practical proof means a receipt from the shop that removed or replaced the film, or clear photos of the corrected vehicle. Even a dismissal may still leave you owing court costs. For a second conviction within one year on the same vehicle for an illegal tinted or smoked windshield, the court can order the windshield film removed in addition to any other penalty.¹

For the Installer

Applying illegal tint is a criminal offense. A first offense is a Class 3 misdemeanor, with a fine of up to $500. A second or later offense is a Class 2 misdemeanor, carrying up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.¹⁴

1
Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-1052 – Tinting Films, Signs, Decals, and Stickers on Windshields; Penalties
2
Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Sun-Shading Medical Authorization Application
3
Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Vehicle Sun-Shading Medical Authorization
4
Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code Title 18.2, Chapter 1, Article 3 – Classification of Criminal Offenses and Punishment Therefor