State tint law
Illinois window tint law
Laws change and enforcement varies by area. Confirm with the Illinois DMV before you install.
How dark can window tint be in Illinois?
Darkness is measured as visible light transmission (VLT): the percentage of light that gets through. A lower number means darker tint.
| Window | Cars | SUVs and vans |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield | Non-reflective tint is allowed on the top 6 inches of the windshield. | |
| Front side windows | Must let in at least 35% of light if no window behind the driver is darker than 35%. If a window behind the driver is between 30% and 35%, or has factory-tinted glass, the front sides must let in at least 50%. No front-side tint is allowed if a window behind the driver lets in less than 30%. Police allow a 5% variance. | |
| Back side windows | No limit on its own, but it sets the front-side limit: darker than 35% limits the front sides to 50%, and darker than 30% means no front-side tint. | No limit on its own, but it sets the front-side limit: darker than 35% limits the front sides to 50%, and darker than 30% means no front-side tint. |
| Rear window | No limit on its own, but it sets the front-side limit: darker than 35% limits the front sides to 50%, and darker than 30% means no front-side tint. | No limit on its own, but it sets the front-side limit: darker than 35% limits the front sides to 50%, and darker than 30% means no front-side tint. |
Picked a legal shade? You can tint it yourself with a precut car tint kit from SnapTint, our DIY kit partner.
How reflective can tint be?
- Front side windows
- Must be non-reflective.
- Back side windows
- Must be non-reflective.
Other Illinois tint rules
- Restricted colors
- No tint colors are banned.
- Side mirrors
- Dual side mirrors are required if the back window is tinted.
- Film certification
- Film manufacturers don't need to certify the film they sell in the state.
- Sticker
- No sticker identifying legal tint is required.
- Medical exemption
- An Illinois-licensed physician must certify a condition such as lupus, porokeratosis, light sensitivity from a traumatic brain injury or albinism; conditions that sunglasses can handle don't qualify. Carry the certification in the vehicle, have it renewed every 4 years and send a copy to the Secretary of State (form VSD 704). Official form or instructions (opens in a new tab)
Enforcement and penalties in Illinois
- Enforcement
- Police can stop you for tint alone, and a conviction comes with an order to bring the windows into compliance. Installers may not install illegal film; for a medical exemption they must keep a copy of the physician's statement.
- Penalties
- A petty offense with a fine of $50 to $500. A second or later violation is a Class C misdemeanor with a fine of $100 to $500 (12-503(j)).
How the Illinois tint law has changed
The changes we could document, newest first, each with its source. Where we only know that our older records differ from today's law, we say so rather than guess a date.
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Local rule Chicago's stricter front-window rule
Chicago allowed no tint on front side windows even though state law allowed 35%, with $250 fines, and a resident pushed to bring city rules in line with state law. Check Chicago's current ordinance if you drive there.
Source: TintCenter blog, Apr 5, 2012
Where to find the Illinois tint law
These are the laws, rules and other sources we found for Illinois. We list all of them rather than picking one, so you can read them yourself and decide. Laws change, so check the current text before you install.
Sources disagree: Most tint charts list a flat 35% for every Illinois window. The statute (625 ILCS 5/12-503(a-5)) ties the front-side limit to how dark the windows behind the driver are, and sets no separate limit for those windows.
- Statute Illinois Vehicle Code, 625 ILCS 5/12-503 (opens in a new tab) Illinois General Assembly
- Statute Illinois Vehicle Code, 625 ILCS 5/12-503 (opens in a new tab) FindLaw
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TintCenter news about the Illinois tint law
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Chicago Tint Laws Different from Illinois Tint LawsFrom our 2012 archive; the limits above are the current law.