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State tint law · · 2-minute read

Window Tint Laws in Kentucky (2026): Legal VLT Limits and Exemptions

What Kentucky allows on each window, the windshield rule, medical exemptions and how roadside checks work, with the statute cited.

By Armor Atlas · Summarized from the statute, linked on this page

Kentucky tint rules at a glance

Front side windows
35%
Minimum VLT, film and glass together
Back side windows
18%
Minimum VLT, film and glass together
Rear window
18%
Minimum VLT, film and glass together
SUVs, trucks and vans
Behind the driver: back side windows 8% VLT or more, rear window 8% VLT or more.
Windshield
Either a transparent strip above the AS-1 area, or film anywhere on the windshield if it keeps at least 70% transmittance and is not red or yellow (since July 15, 2024).
Reflectivity
Reflectance may not exceed 25% on front side windows or 35% on windows behind the driver.
Film colors not allowed
red, yellow (windshield film)
Medical exemption
No
Sticker or certificate
Required
Two outside mirrors
Required when the rear window is tinted
Penalty
Applying noncompliant film is a Class B misdemeanor (KRS 189.110(9)); a driver is fined $20 to $100 under KRS 189.990(1).

VLT is the share of light the glass lets through, film and glass together. Source: KRS 189.110, checked Nov 5, 2026. Laws change; confirm with the statute before tinting.

Kentucky regulates window tint through KRS 189.110. Below: the minimum visible light transmission (VLT) for each window, the windshield rule, what counts as too reflective, who can get a medical exemption, and how an officer checks a car at the roadside.

  • Front side windows: at least 35% VLT.
  • Back side windows: at least 18% VLT.
  • Rear window: at least 18% VLT.

SUVs, trucks and vans follow a different rule behind the driver: back side windows at least 8% VLT and the rear window at least 8% VLT.

VLT is measured through film and glass together. Factory glass already blocks some light, usually landing between 70% and 80% VLT before any film, so a roll sold as "35%" on a window that started at 75% ends up darker than 35% once installed. Officers meter the finished window, not the box the film came in.

Windshield

Either a transparent strip above the AS-1 area, or film anywhere on the windshield if it keeps at least 70% transmittance and is not red or yellow (since July 15, 2024).

Federal standard FMVSS 205 sets the baseline for the glass itself: the windshield and front side windows of a new car must transmit at least 70% of visible light. State law decides what film may be added afterwards, which is why the windshield rule is usually a strip above the AS-1 line rather than a percentage.

Reflective and colored film

Reflectance may not exceed 25% on front side windows or 35% on windows behind the driver. Film colors not permitted: red, yellow (windshield film).

Medical exemptions

Kentucky does not provide a medical exemption from its tint limits.

Stickers, mirrors and enforcement

A certificate or sticker identifying legal tint is required. The installer or seller must affix a nonremovable compliance label on the inside left door jamb showing the film's trade name and the business name. If the rear window is tinted, the car must have outside mirrors on both sides. Applying noncompliant film is a Class B misdemeanor (KRS 189.110(9)); a driver is fined $20 to $100 under KRS 189.990(1).

In practice

Percentages are rated for the film on one-eighth-inch clear glass with a 3-point tolerance. Multipurpose passenger vehicles may run 8% behind the driver, and perforated film with at least 30% transmittance is a separate option there. Senate Bill 46 (2024) added the 70% whole-windshield allowance, which many charts still omit. Factory glazing that meets FMVSS 205 needs no label.

Sources

Checked Nov 5, 2026. Laws change; confirm with the statute before tinting.

Common questions about tint in Kentucky

Is 35% tint legal on front windows in Kentucky?

Yes. 35% is the darkest Kentucky allows on front side windows: the glass and film together must let at least 35% of visible light through. Anything darker fails a meter check.

Can I tint my windshield in Kentucky?

Either a transparent strip above the AS-1 area, or film anywhere on the windshield if it keeps at least 70% transmittance and is not red or yellow (since July 15, 2024). Film below that line is not permitted for ordinary drivers.

Does Kentucky allow darker tint for medical reasons?

No. Kentucky's statute does not provide a medical exemption from its tint limits.

What happens if my tint is too dark in Kentucky?

Applying noncompliant film is a Class B misdemeanor (KRS 189.110(9)); a driver is fined $20 to $100 under KRS 189.990(1).

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