What Happens If Your Window Tint Is Too Dark? Tickets, Fines, and Fixes

How drivers get cited for illegal tint

Most tint citations happen during traffic stops. An officer who thinks your windows look too dark may measure them with a handheld tint meter. In most states, tint alone can be the reason for a stop. In a few, like Virginia, officers can cite tint only after stopping you for something else.

In some states with vehicle safety inspections, inspectors check tint, and tint that's too dark can cause you to fail.

What the penalties look like

Penalties are set by each state, and sometimes by local courts. In general, they include:

• A correctable violation, sometimes called a fix-it ticket, where the citation is dismissed or reduced once you remove the film or prove the tint is legal
• A fine, which in some states increases for repeat violations
• A failed inspection, which you'll need to fix before your vehicle passes

Illegal tint is generally handled as an equipment violation, and how it's classified varies by state. Even small fines add up when you also pay to have film removed and replaced.

How to resolve a tint ticket

1. 1Read the citation. It should say whether the violation is correctable and what the deadline is.
2. 2Fix the problem. That usually means having the film removed or replaced with legal film.
3. 3Get proof. Depending on the state, you may need an officer or inspection station to sign off on the correction, or a receipt showing the film was removed.
4. 4Pay any fine or fee by the deadline.

If you already had a valid medical exemption when you were cited, bring your documentation to the court or agency listed on the citation and ask how exemptions are handled. For advice about your specific ticket, contact the court or a local attorney.

How to have darker tint legally

If you have a medical condition that makes sun or light exposure harmful, a medical exemption is, in most states, the legal route to darker tint. A few states, such as Colorado, Kansas, and Kentucky, don't offer medical exemptions. Where it's available, an exemption is based on a physician's evaluation, and it lets you go darker than the standard limits, within whatever your state allows for exempt vehicles. Learn how exemptions work.

ShadedMD makes the legal route fast and affordable. A 5-minute online questionnaire, a physician licensed in your state, and one flat $129 fee, the best pricing of any online tint exemption service, usually cost less than a single tint ticket, and far less than repeat fines plus paying a shop to strip and replace film. There's a 30-day money-back guarantee too.

The order matters: get the exemption, including any state approval your state requires, before you tint.

Before you tint: a quick checklist

• Know your state's VLT limits for each window (find your state)
• Remember that factory glass and film combine, so the final reading will be darker than the film's rating (VLT explained)
• Check reflectivity limits, not just darkness
• If you have a qualifying condition, get your exemption certificate before installation
• Keep your installer's receipt showing the film's VLT

Frequently asked questions