Quick answer
A ShadedMD certificate is a physician-signed medical window tint exemption document, emailed to you once the physician approves your case (physicians aim to finish reviews within 24 to 48 hours). It includes the physician's name, signature, and license number, a unique Recommendation ID, an issue date, and an expiration date 1 year later, and it can be printed or downloaded as a PDF. It does not replace a state's own form or permit where your state requires one.
Key takeaways
- The certificate is signed by the physician, licensed in your state, who reviewed your case.
- A unique Recommendation ID ties the certificate to your reviewed application.
- It is valid for 1 year from the issue date, and the expiration date is printed on it.
- It arrives by email as a link to a certificate you can print, download as a PDF, and keep on your phone.
- Some states require their own form or permit in addition to, or instead of, a physician's certificate.
- Renewal is available when the certificate expires.
What is on the certificate
When a ShadedMD physician approves your case, you receive an email with a link to your certificate, which you can print or save as a PDF. It is designed to be clear to an officer, a DMV clerk, or a tint installer at a glance. It includes:
- Your name, date of birth, and state
- Your vehicle, if you listed one (otherwise any vehicle you operate)
- A statement of medical need for darker window tint, in the physician's professional judgment
- The reviewing physician's name, signature, and license number
- A unique Recommendation ID that identifies your reviewed case
- The issue date and the expiration date, 1 year apart
The certificate does not list your diagnosis. It documents the physician's conclusion that window tinting is a medical necessity for you. Your health details stay in your record, although some state forms do ask the practitioner to name the condition.
How it is delivered
Nothing is mailed. Physicians aim to finish reviews within 24 to 48 hours of checkout, and if you are approved, the certificate link arrives by email. Download the PDF and save it. Print a copy for the glove box. Keep a copy on your phone. If you ever lose it, contact support@shadedmd.com.
What your state may require next
A physician's evaluation is the medical starting point for most state exemptions, but states differ on what happens next:
- Statement-in-the-car states. You keep a signed physician statement in the vehicle and show it if asked. No state filing is required. Texas works this way.
- State form states. You file the state's own application, with a medical section completed and signed by a qualified practitioner, and the state issues the exemption. Florida, New York, and Georgia work this way. The ShadedMD certificate does not replace the state's form or the document the state issues.
- Limited or no-exemption states. Some states allow only limited options, such as clear UV film in Kansas or removable sun screens in California, and a few have no medical tint exemption. A certificate does not change that.
Check your state's page and your state's official instructions before you order. Our guides to states that require a DMV form and states that accept a physician certificate go into more detail.
How to use the certificate
- 1Check your state's requirements and complete any state form or filing.
- 2Take it to a tint shop. Show the certificate (and any state permit) so the installer knows you are exempt, and have film installed within the limits your state allows for exempt vehicles. Ask for a receipt that shows the film's VLT.
- 3Keep it in the car. Store the printed certificate, any state form or permit, and the installer's receipt together in the vehicle.
- 4Show it if stopped. Tell the officer you have a medical exemption and hand over the certificate with your license and registration.
Our article on what to keep in your car with a tint exemption is a good companion to this list.
Validity and renewal
The certificate is valid for 1 year from the issue date. The expiration date is printed on it, so you always know when to renew. Renewal through ShadedMD is a new evaluation by a licensed physician, with its own checkout, and nothing renews automatically. See how to renew a medical tint exemption for the details. Note that some states set their own schedule for the state side of the exemption, separate from the certificate. Georgia's approved exemption is valid for four years, and Florida's state certificate has no expiration date but becomes invalid when the vehicle is sold or transferred.
If you are approved, you get a signed physician certificate with a Recommendation ID, valid 1 year, by email. Physicians aim to finish reviews within 24 to 48 hours, and the fee is a flat $129 backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. Check if you qualify.
Common questions about the certificate
Drivers often ask whether the certificate covers passengers, multiple cars, or rental vehicles. The answer depends on the state, because some states tie the exemption to the person and others to the vehicle. Our guides to exemptions for passengers and family members and exemptions for multiple vehicles cover those situations.
This page is general information, not medical or legal advice. Ready to get your certificate? Start the 5-minute questionnaire.
Frequently asked questions
What does a ShadedMD certificate include?
The physician's name, signature, and license number, a unique Recommendation ID, your name, date of birth, state, and vehicle, a statement of medical need for window tinting, the issue date, and an expiration date 1 year later. You can print it or download it as a PDF.
How long is the certificate valid?
1 year from the issue date. The expiration date is printed on the certificate, and renewal is available through ShadedMD.
Is the certificate alone enough to be legal?
It depends on your state. Some states accept a physician certificate kept in the car. Others require their own form or DMV filing and issue their own exemption, which the certificate does not replace. A few states have no medical exemption.
Is the certificate mailed?
No. Once the physician approves your case, you receive an email with a link to your certificate. Print it, download it as a PDF, or keep it on your phone.
What is the Recommendation ID?
A unique identifier printed on the certificate that ties it to your reviewed case.
Sources
- Texas Department of Public Safety, Window Tinting Standards (medical exemption statement; DPS stopped issuing exemption certificates January 1, 2019)
- Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Form HSMV 83390, Application for Sunscreening Medical Exemption (Rev. 07/25)
- Georgia Department of Public Safety, Form DPS-431, Application for Exemption to the Window Tint Law (Rev. 8/2022), with DPS Rules 570-22-.05 and 570-22-.06
- New York State DMV, Form MV-80W, Application for Tinted Window Exemption (6/24)
- Kansas Legislature, K.S.A. 8-1749a, Sun screening devices; requirements; exceptions (clear UV film with a physician or optometrist statement)
- California Legislative Information, Vehicle Code section 26708 (medical sun screening devices, clear UV film)
This article is general information, not medical or legal advice. Tint laws change and differ by state, so check your state's current rules. Whether you qualify for an exemption is decided by a licensed physician based on your individual condition.
About ShadedMD
Medical tint exemptions you can trust
ShadedMD is an online medical window tint exemption service. Every questionnaire is reviewed by a physician licensed in your state, who approves or denies it based on medical need. ShadedMD offers the best pricing of any online tint exemption service: one flat fee of $129 with no add-ons, backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. Physicians aim to complete reviews within 24 to 48 hours, and approved patients receive a signed certificate by email that they can download, print, and keep for one year.