Louisiana window tint laws, set out in Revised Statute 32:361.1, allow passenger cars to run front side, rear side, and rear window film at 25% visible light transmission (VLT) or lighter, with the rear windshield permitted down to 12% VLT. The front-side limit dropped from 40% to 25% on August 1, 2025, so legally darker front tint is now on the table for the first time in years.1Justia. Louisiana Code RS 32-361.1 – View Outward or Inward Through Windshield or Windows; Obscuring Prohibited
How Dark You Can Legally Go
VLT is the share of outside light that passes through the film and glass together. Lower number, darker window. On a standard sedan or passenger car, the minimums are:
- Front side windows: at least 25% VLT.
- Rear side windows: at least 25% VLT.
- Rear windshield: at least 12% VLT.
Each threshold includes manufacturer tolerances, so a meter reading a hair under the number is not an automatic fail.1Justia. Louisiana Code RS 32-361.1 – View Outward or Inward Through Windshield or Windows; Obscuring Prohibited
SUVs, vans, trucks, buses, motor homes, and other multipurpose vehicles play by a looser set of rules behind the driver. The front side windows still need 25% VLT or more, but the rear side windows and back glass have no VLT minimum. You can take those as dark as you like.1Justia. Louisiana Code RS 32-361.1 – View Outward or Inward Through Windshield or Windows; Obscuring Prohibited
If your front tint was installed under the old 40% rule, it already clears the current 25% floor. Nothing to redo.
Windshield Rules
Full windshield tinting is not allowed. You can run a transparent, non-reflective strip across the top, but it cannot drop more than five inches below the top edge of the glass, and it cannot be red or amber.1Justia. Louisiana Code RS 32-361.1 – View Outward or Inward Through Windshield or Windows; Obscuring Prohibited Some shops use the manufacturer’s AS-1 line as a reference point, but the statute itself specifies the five-inch measurement. Everything below that five-inch band stays clear unless you have a specific medical exemption for light-sensitive porphyria.
Reflectivity and Color Limits
Any film you use is capped at 20% luminous reflectance on every window of the vehicle.1Justia. Louisiana Code RS 32-361.1 – View Outward or Inward Through Windshield or Windows; Obscuring Prohibited Mirror-finish and heavily metallic films typically run higher than that and will fail.
Red and amber tint films are prohibited on every window. Either violation, the reflectivity cap or the color ban, will fail a safety inspection and can draw a roadside ticket.
What a Ticket Costs
Fines escalate with each offense:
- First offense: up to $150.
- Second offense: up to $250.
- Third or later offense: up to $350.
These apply to the driver of any Louisiana-registered vehicle that violates the tint standards.1Justia. Louisiana Code RS 32-361.1 – View Outward or Inward Through Windshield or Windows; Obscuring Prohibited The statute does not authorize impoundment for a tint violation.
Medical Exemption for Darker Tint
Drivers with a sun-sensitive medical condition can apply for an exemption under Revised Statute 32:361.2. An approved exemption removes the VLT minimums of 32:361.1 for the vehicle, so there is no fixed percentage you have to hit.2Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Code RS 32-361.2 – Medical Exemption
The qualifying condition must appear in the World Health Organization’s ICD-9-CM classification, and a licensed optometrist, ophthalmologist, dermatologist, or other physician must sign the Louisiana State Police affidavit certifying that you need darker tint for sun protection.3Louisiana State Police. Window Tint Medical Exemption Affidavit If the diagnosis is photophobia, the affidavit must also explain why ordinary sunglasses are not enough and why the tint will not interfere with night driving.2Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Code RS 32-361.2 – Medical Exemption
The windshield rule still holds under an exemption: tint stays confined to the top six inches unless a physician specifically authorizes more for light-sensitive porphyria.2Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Code RS 32-361.2 – Medical Exemption Once the Department of Public Safety and Corrections approves the application, you get a numbered decal to display on the vehicle and must keep a copy of the signed affidavit inside. The exemption only covers Louisiana-registered and Louisiana-insured vehicles owned by residents whose physicians practice in the state.4Louisiana State Police. Transportation Safety Services
Installer Label on the Driver’s Window
Professional installers in Louisiana must leave a small identification label behind, no larger than one and a half square inches, showing the installer’s name and city. It goes between the film and the glass in the lower right corner of the driver’s side window.1Justia. Louisiana Code RS 32-361.1 – View Outward or Inward Through Windshield or Windows; Obscuring Prohibited Officers and inspection stations use it as a quick compliance check. A DIY install with no label can invite extra scrutiny at a stop or inspection even when the VLT itself is legal.
Commercial Vehicles Are Stricter
If you operate a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce, federal rules override Louisiana’s limits on the windshield and the two windows beside the driver. Under 49 CFR 393.60, those surfaces must allow at least 70% light transmission.5Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. May Windshields and Side Windows Be Tinted? The state’s 25% front-side allowance does not help you there. Windows behind the driver on a commercial vehicle are not covered by that federal cap.