The legal window tint in Florida depends on which window and what kind of vehicle you drive. Front side windows on every passenger vehicle must let at least 28% of visible light through the glass, a measurement called Visible Light Transmission (VLT).1Florida Senate. Florida Code 316.2953 – Side Windows; Restrictions on Sunscreening Material Behind the driver, sedans must stay at 15% VLT or lighter, while SUVs, trucks, and vans can go as dark as 6%. The windshield has its own rules, and medical exemptions exist for drivers who need darker glass.
Front Side Window Limits
The 28% VLT floor applies the same way to a sedan, SUV, pickup, or van. The tint on any window forward of or next to the driver’s seat must transmit at least 28% of visible light and reflect no more than 25% of light measured from outside the vehicle.1Florida Senate. Florida Code 316.2953 – Side Windows; Restrictions on Sunscreening Material
Florida also bans any film on the front side windows that changes the color of the glass or makes it non-transparent.1Florida Senate. Florida Code 316.2953 – Side Windows; Restrictions on Sunscreening Material Colored films are out. Stick to neutral gray or charcoal.
Rear and Back Side Window Limits by Vehicle Type
Behind the driver, the darkness allowed depends on vehicle class.
- Sedans: back side windows and rear windshield must allow at least 15% VLT.
- SUVs, trucks, and vans: those same windows can go as dark as 6% VLT, which is nearly opaque.
- Both vehicle types: back side windows may be up to 35% reflective.
Windshield Rules
Florida does not let you tint the main viewing area of a windshield. A transparent, non-reflective strip is allowed along the top, but only above the AS-1 line, a marking the glass manufacturer places to define the portion the driver uses for a clear forward view.2Online Sunshine. Florida Code 316.2952 – Windshields; Requirements; Restrictions on Signs or Other Nontransparent Material Nothing goes below that line.
The statute carves out narrow exceptions for a few items on the glass: legally required stickers and certificates, electronic toll transponders, and GPS devices. Everything else is prohibited.2Online Sunshine. Florida Code 316.2952 – Windshields; Requirements; Restrictions on Signs or Other Nontransparent Material
Medical Exemptions
Drivers with lupus, another autoimmune disease, or any medical condition requiring limited light exposure can apply for an exemption that allows darker tint on the windshield and all side windows.3Florida Senate. Florida Code 316.29545 – Window Sunscreening; Exemptions
Apply using Form HSMV 83390, the Application for Sunscreening Medical Exemption, from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The form includes a certification section signed by a qualifying medical professional. That list is broader than most people assume: physicians, dermatologists, nurse practitioners working under a physician’s protocol, physician assistants, and physicians practicing in military facilities, state hospitals, or federal prisons.4Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Application for Sunscreening Medical Exemption
The certificate is tied to one specific vehicle by make, model, year, and VIN, and it names the registered owner. Sell or transfer the vehicle and the certificate voids automatically. You cannot move it to a new car; you reapply. The FLHSMV may charge a fee to cover processing.3Florida Senate. Florida Code 316.29545 – Window Sunscreening; Exemptions
Penalties for Illegal Tint
Driving with illegal tint is a noncriminal traffic infraction classified as a nonmoving violation.1Florida Senate. Florida Code 316.2953 – Side Windows; Restrictions on Sunscreening Material The base fine is $30, but mandatory surcharges inflate the real cost. Court costs, an administrative fee, an Article V assessment, and a criminal justice education surcharge bring the minimum total to roughly $73 before county-level add-ons.5Online Sunshine. Florida Code Chapter 318 – Disposition of Traffic Infractions Some counties add facility and technology surcharges that push the total past $100.
The fine is usually the smaller problem. Officers who cite you for illegal tint expect you to bring the vehicle into compliance by removing the non-compliant film. Many jurisdictions require proof that the tint has been corrected, either by returning to a law enforcement facility for inspection or by submitting documentation when you pay the citation. Professional removal runs roughly $25 to $250 depending on the number of windows and the film type.
Why the Film Percentage Doesn’t Match the Window Reading
The VLT printed on a film’s packaging is not the VLT your installed window will test at. Florida measures light transmittance as applied to and tested on the glass of the specific vehicle.1Florida Senate. Florida Code 316.2953 – Side Windows; Restrictions on Sunscreening Material Factory glass already blocks some light on its own, often transmitting around 70–80%. Add a 35% VLT film to glass that transmits 75%, and the combined reading lands closer to 26%, which fails the 28% front-window requirement. A careful installer measures your factory glass first and picks a film darkness that keeps the combined reading legal.
Out-of-State Vehicles
Driving into Florida with tint that is legal in your home state does not protect you. Florida’s traffic laws apply to any vehicle on Florida roads regardless of where it is registered, and no federal reciprocity rule shields out-of-state drivers from local tint enforcement. Snowbirds and visitors with darker front side tint should know this before the drive.