Window Tint Laws in Kentucky: SB 46 Limits, Exemptions, and Penalties

Kentucky window tint laws under KRS 189.110 set the darkness and reflectivity limits for every vehicle registered in the state: front side windows must let through at least 35% of visible light, rear side and back windows can drop to 18% on passenger cars or 8% on SUVs and vans, and the windshield allows a non-reflective strip above the AS-1 line plus, since a 2024 amendment, a near-clear sunscreening film at 70% VLT or higher across the full glass.¹ Go darker than those limits and you’re looking at an equipment citation and, usually, the cost of stripping the film off.

Legal Tint Limits by Window

The driver’s and front passenger’s windows carry the strictest rule. Film on these windows has to allow at least 35% of visible light through and cannot exceed 25% reflectance, measured on one-eighth-inch clear glass.¹ That threshold exists so officers can see occupants and so you keep solid peripheral vision at intersections and during merges.

Behind the driver, the rules loosen. On a standard passenger car, the rear side windows and back glass can go down to 18% VLT with reflectance capped at 35%.² SUVs, minivans, crossovers, and other multipurpose passenger vehicles get even more latitude: those same windows can drop to 8% VLT, which is close to limo-dark.¹ The reflectance ceiling stays at 35%.

One tied-in rule: if your rear or back windows are dark enough to be non-transparent, the vehicle must have two side mirrors, one on each side, adjusted to give the driver a clear view behind.² Most vehicles already satisfy this from the factory.

At-a-Glance Limits

Windshield: non-reflective strip above the AS-1 line; sunscreening film at 70% VLT or higher permitted across the full windshield
Front side windows: minimum 35% VLT, maximum 25% reflectance
Rear side and back windows, passenger car: minimum 18% VLT, maximum 35% reflectance
Rear side and back windows, SUV or van: minimum 8% VLT, maximum 35% reflectance

Windshield Tint and the 2024 SB 46 Change

Kentucky has long allowed a non-reflective tint strip across the top of the windshield, above the AS-1 line marked into the glass by the manufacturer. What changed with Senate Bill 46 in 2024 is that sunscreening film is now permitted on the rest of the windshield too, provided it lets at least 70% of visible light through.² In practice that opens the door to a nearly clear UV-blocking film across the whole windshield. Anything that looks noticeably dark from outside is still off-limits on that glass.

Reflectivity and Color

Reflectivity is measured separately from darkness. It describes how much light bounces off the window surface, which is why mirrored films are regulated: at the right angle, they can blind oncoming drivers. Kentucky caps front side reflectance at 25% and rear reflectance at 35%.¹ Metallic films tend to run higher on reflectance, so check that spec alongside VLT.

No specific tint color is banned by name. KRS 189.110 restricts material that would alter the window’s color on front side windows unless the film still meets the VLT and reflectance limits.¹ Realistically, most films that pass the 35% front-window test are neutral gray or charcoal anyway.

Why Your Installed Tint May Read Darker Than the Label

VLT is the percentage of outside light that gets through. A 35% window blocks about 65% of light. Here’s the detail that trips people up: VLT stacks multiplicatively. Factory glass already blocks some light before any aftermarket film goes on, and most factory side glass transmits around 75% to 80%.

Add a 50% film to glass that transmits 75% and you end up around 37.5% at the window (0.75 × 0.50), not 50%. Pair a film labeled 35% with the same glass and you’re closer to 26% once installed. Officers measure the finished product with a handheld meter pressed against the glass, not the film by itself. A good installer will recommend a slightly lighter film so the final reading stays on the legal side of the line. Kentucky’s statute does not build in a tolerance for meter error, so borderline tint has no guaranteed buffer.

Medical Exemption

Kentucky allows darker tint than the standard limits if you have a medical condition that requires it. You need a written statement from a licensed physician confirming that your condition requires a sunscreening device on the vehicle.¹ Conditions like lupus, severe photosensitivity, and solar urticaria are the kinds that commonly qualify.

The physician’s statement has to stay in the vehicle, and you have to hand it to an officer who asks during a stop.¹ Without the paperwork physically in the car, telling the officer about your condition won’t prevent a citation. Keep the document current and have it clearly identify both the condition and the need for darker windows.

The Installer Label You Should Check For

Kentucky requires the business that installs your tint to affix a tamper-proof vinyl label to the inside of the driver-side door jamb. The label has to show the trade name of the film and the installer’s or seller’s business name.² The statute describes it as pressure-sensitive, self-destructive, and nonremovable, meaning it should tear apart if peeled.

Check the door jamb before you leave the shop. If there’s no label, the job isn’t finished. The sticker is your first line of defense during a stop because it signals that a professional verified the film against state standards. DIY installs don’t come with one, which is a practical risk of doing the work yourself.

Penalties for Noncompliant Tint

A tint violation is an equipment offense that falls under KRS 189.990, the general penalty section for traffic regulation violations. KRS 189.110 itself does not attach a specific fine amount to tint violations. The court handling the citation sets the fine and court costs, and totals vary by county and by whether you fix the tint before your court date.

Correcting the problem before you appear in court almost always helps. Judges tend to be more lenient when you can show proof that the illegal film has been removed or replaced with compliant material. Professional removal typically runs somewhere between $25 and $200 depending on how many windows need stripping, which is cheaper than stacking repeat citations, since each noncompliant window can technically be treated as a separate violation.

Commercial Vehicles and Out-of-State Drivers

Federal regulations override Kentucky’s rule on commercial motor vehicles’ windshields and front side windows. Under 49 CFR 393.60, those surfaces must maintain at least 70% light transmission.³ That leaves almost no room for aftermarket front tint on commercial trucks. Rear windows on commercial vehicles still follow the state rules above.

KRS 189.110 applies to vehicles “required to be registered in the Commonwealth.”¹ If you’re visiting from another state, the statute’s text is narrower than many people assume, though an officer who can’t see into your vehicle may still initiate a stop and local practices vary. If you’re moving to Kentucky with tint that was legal in your previous state but exceeds these limits, replacing the film before you register the vehicle here is the safest move.

1
Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Revised Statutes 189.110 – Restrictions on Tinting or Glazing of Motor Vehicle Windows
2
Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. 24 RS SB 46 – An Act Relating to Motor Vehicles
3
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation – Application for an Exemption From the International Window Film Association