State tint law
Pennsylvania window tint law
Laws change and enforcement varies by area. Confirm with the Pennsylvania DMV before you install.
How dark can window tint be in Pennsylvania?
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 | No tint is allowed on the windshield. | |
| Front side windows | Must let in more than 70% of light. | |
| Back side windows | Must let in more than 70% of light. | Any darkness is allowed. |
| Rear window | Must let in more than 70% of light. | Any darkness is allowed. |
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
- No metallic or mirrored appearance.
- Back side windows
- No metallic or mirrored appearance.
Other Pennsylvania 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
- A sticker identifying legal tint is required on the rear window.
- Medical exemption
- PennDOT issues a certificate of exemption when a licensed physician or optometrist certifies a physical condition that PennDOT and its Medical Advisory Board accept (75 Pa.C.S. 4524(e)). Carry the certificate and show it to police on request; it ends if the vehicle goes to someone who doesn't qualify. Sources differ on what it allows: PennDOT's fact sheet says colorless film that filters UV light, while the law speaks of tinted windows and sun screening. Call PennDOT's Medical Unit at (717) 787-9662 before installing. Official form or instructions (opens in a new tab)
Enforcement and penalties in Pennsylvania
- Enforcement
- Police can stop and cite you on the road. PennDOT stopped checking tint at the annual state inspection in 1996.
- Penalties
- A summary offense with a $25 fine under the general Vehicle Code penalty (75 Pa.C.S. 6502), plus court costs and fees that often bring the total to around $100 or more.
How the Pennsylvania 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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Guidance PennDOT sets the 70% rule in regulation
PennDOT's vehicle equipment and inspection rules require the windshield, side wings and side windows to let through at least 70% of light, and rear windows on 1998 and newer passenger cars too, with older model years held to less strict rules.
Source: Pennsylvania Bulletin, Sep 21, 1996 (PennDOT, 67 Pa. Code Chapter 175)
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Law change Medical exemption added
Act 137 of 1990 added medical exemption certificates for people with photosensitive conditions.
Source: Pennsylvania Bulletin, Sep 21, 1996 (history of 75 Pa.C.S. 4524)
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Law change First limits on sun screening
A 1984 act added Pennsylvania's first restrictions on sun screening material on vehicle windows.
Source: Pennsylvania Bulletin, Sep 21, 1996 (history of 75 Pa.C.S. 4524)
Films of 70% VLT or lighter: legal on every window of a car in Pennsylvania. Darker films for the rear windows are in the full collection. All car window film.
Where to find the Pennsylvania tint law
These are the laws, rules and other sources we found for Pennsylvania. 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.
- Statute Pennsylvania Vehicle Code, 75 Pa.C.S. § 4524(e) (opens in a new tab) Pennsylvania General Assembly
- Statute Pennsylvania Vehicle Code, 75 Pa.C.S. § 4524(e) (opens in a new tab) FindLaw
- Regulation Pennsylvania Code, 67 Pa. Code 175.67 (opens in a new tab) Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin
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