Vehicle Law · Window Tint
Window Tint Laws in Delaware
The exact legal darkness allowed on every window of your vehicle in Delaware, plus reflection limits, the medical exemption, and what a ticket costs.
How dark you can legally go
Visible-light transmission (VLT) allowed for each window.
Common tint shades, and whether they're legal here
What the shop sells, mapped to the Delaware limit.
| Film shade | Front side | Back & rear |
|---|---|---|
| 70% (light) | Legal | Conditional |
| 50% | Too dark | Conditional |
| 35% (factory look) | Too dark | Conditional |
| 20% | Too dark | Conditional |
| 5% (limo) | Too dark | Conditional |
Delaware law fixes only the front glass to the federal standard. Windows behind the driver, on any body style, are not given a VLT floor by §4313.
Film is sold by its own VLT, but police measure the installed darkness: the film combined with your factory glass. Ask the shop for the net, as-installed VLT before you buy.
The full rules, with the statute
Every limit and where it comes from in the code.
| Rule / window | Legal limit in Delaware | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield | The windshield must meet FMVSS 205; a transparent material may run along the top edge as long as it does not encroach on the AS-1 portion of the windshield | §4313(a)-(b) |
| Front side | Must meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 205 in effect when the vehicle was manufactured (about 70% light transmission for the windshield and front side windows); no separate Delaware percentage | §4313(a) |
| Back side | Not specified in statute; §4313 covers only the windshield, front side windows, and side wings, so no VLT floor applies behind the driver | §4313(a) |
| Rear window | Not specified in statute; §4313 does not reach the rear window, so Delaware sets no VLT floor there | §4313 |
| SUV / van rear | No separate class rule is needed. | §4313(a) |
| Reflection | Not specified in statute; §4313 sets no reflectance or mirror-finish limit | §4313 |
| Banned colors | Not specified in statute; §4313 names no prohibited tint colors | §4313 |
| Medical exemption | AllowedAvailable (details in the medical exemption section below). | §4313(d) |
| Meter tolerance | Not specified in statute; §4313 states no metering tolerance because it adopts the FMVSS 205 standard rather than a Delaware percentage | §4313 |
Penalties & how it's enforced
What happens if your tint is too dark.
n/a: No recent VLT change. Delaware still ties front-glass tint to FMVSS 205 rather than a state percentage, and §4313A continues to govern commercial installers.
The medical exemption: how to qualify
For drivers with a documented light-sensitivity condition.
What Delaware drivers get wrong
Delaware writes no tint percentage of its own. Section 4313 simply says the windshield, the front side windows, and the side wings must meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 205, the same roughly 70% floor the glass carried from the factory. What the section never mentions is anything behind the driver, so the back side windows and rear window have no state darkness limit on a sedan, SUV, or van. A doctor or optometrist statement kept in the car blocks a conviction, and a top-edge strip is fine as long as it stays above the AS-1 line.
Common questions
What percentage of tint is legal on Delaware front windows?
Delaware does not print a number. Section 4313 requires the windshield and front side windows to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 205, which is about 70% light transmission. Aftermarket film that pushes the front glass below the factory FMVSS 205 level is not allowed.
Are dark rear windows legal in Delaware?
Yes. Section 4313 restricts only the windshield, front side windows, and side wings. It says nothing about the rear window or the side windows behind the driver, so those may be any darkness on a sedan, SUV, or van under Delaware law.
Does Delaware allow a medical tint exemption?
Yes. Under §4313(d) a driver cannot be convicted if the vehicle carries a statement signed by a licensed physician, osteopathic physician, or optometrist verifying that tinted windows are medically necessary for the owner or usual operator.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.