VIRGINIA TINT LAW 2020 (VA)
On this page we have done our best to collect all of the legal information necessary about Virginia tint law, including how dark the tint is allowed to be and how reflective the tint is allowed to be in Virginia. Aside from the basics, like tint percentages, there are also additional car window tinting rules and regulations in Virginia that we have made available.
Virginia window tint law was first put into place in 1999 with Virginia being the 34th of the 50 states to enact these tinting laws.
WHAT DOES VLT MEAN ACCORDING TO VIRGINIA STATE LAW
The percentage of light that a window tint film allows to pass through your car windows is called the VLT (Visible Light Transmission), and each state has different legal allowable limits. The amount of light allowed to pass through your film and glass in Virginia is very specific to the state and is different for Passenger Vehicles and Multi-Purpose Vehicles.
A HIGHER VLT means that more light is allowed to pass through the window tint film.
Example: a 75% tint will allow 75% of the light to pass through whereas a 5% tint will only allow 5% of the light to pass through, making the 5% tint a much darker film.
We have created an article discussing everything you need to know about VLT and Window Tint Percentages for your reference. If you want to learn the difference between the tint levels and preview the tint percentages we recommend you check it out.
VIRGINIA TINT LAW – LEGAL TINT LIMIT FOR PASSENGER VEHICLES
- Front Windshield: Non-reflective tint is allowed above the manufacturer’s AS-1 line.
- Front seat side windows: up to 50% tint darkness allowed
- Back seat side windows: up to 35% tint darkness allowed
- Rear window: up to 35% tint darkness allowed
VIRGINIA TINT LAW – LEGAL TINT LIMIT FOR MULTI-PURPOSE VEHICLES
- Front Windshield: Non-reflective tint is allowed above the manufacturer’s AS-1 line.
- Front seat side windows: up to 50% tint darkness allowed
- Back seat side windows: Any tint darkness can be used
- Rear window: Any tint darkness can be used
OTHER VIRGINIA WINDOW TINT LAW RULES AND REGULATIONS:
Virginia has a few other important things that you will need to consider regarding window tinting and we recommend that you check them out before deciding whether or not you tint your windows:
- Do I have to have side mirrors in Virginia? Dual side mirrors are required only if back window is tinted.
- Is colored tint illegal in Virginia? All tint colors are allowed in Virginia except for Red, Amber and Yellow.
- What are the Window Tint Certification Rules in Virginia? Manufacturers of film do NOT need to certify the film they sell in Virginia.
- Do I need a certified sticker from the company installing my window tint in Virginia? Virginia law does state that a sticker is required but does not specify the exact rule.
- Are there Medical Exemptions in Virginia for Window Tint? Virginia allows medical exemptions for special tint.
VIRGINIA WINDOW TINT LAW MEDICAL EXEMPTION REFERENCES
To apply for a medical authorization in Virginia, the person with the medical condition must submit a completed Sun-Shading Medical Authorization Application (MD-20) to DMV. The application must include vehicle information and a statement from a physician, physician’s assistant, nurse practitioner, ophthalmologist, or optometrist certifying that sunshading is necessary for the individual’s health.
The vehicle owner will receive a new registration card with “sunshading” printed in the Special Conditions space. This registration card serves as verification that the vehicle is authorized to have sunshading.
With medical exemption you are permitted to tint front side windows down to 35% VLT. Entire front windshield can be tinted to 70% VLT, and top 5 inches (AS-1 line) of the windshield can have 35% VLT.
For more information regarding window tint medical exemptions in _____ you can checkout this resource: