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Vehicle Law · Window Tint

Window Tint Laws in Florida

The exact legal darkness allowed on every window of your vehicle in Florida, plus reflection limits, the medical exemption, and what a ticket costs.

Reviewed by PlainStatute EditorialLast reviewed July 2026Verified against §§316.2951–316.2957
Legal tint at a glance · Florida
28%
minimum visible light (VLT) on front side windows. Anything darker on the front is illegal.
Front side windows28% VLT min
Back & rear windows15% min
WindshieldAS-1 line (no inch figure)
Max reflection25% front / 35% rear
Banned colorsNot specified in statute
Medical exemptionAllowed
PenaltyFine set by court schedule
Statute§§316.2951–316.2957

How dark you can legally go

Visible-light transmission (VLT) allowed for each window.

WindshieldTop strip only
Transparent strip above the AS-1 line only
Front side windowsMinimum 28% VLT
28%
Back side windowsMinimum 15% VLT
15%
Rear windowMinimum 15% VLT
15%
0% (fully blacked out)100% (clear glass)

Common tint shades, and whether they're legal here

What the shop sells, mapped to the Florida limit.

Film shadeFront sideBack & rear
70% (light)LegalLegal
50% LegalLegal
35% (factory look)LegalLegal
20% Too darkLegal
5% (limo)Too darkToo dark

Sedan floors shown. Multipurpose vehicles (SUV/van/truck) may go down to 6% VLT on windows behind the driver (§316.2954). Measurements carry a ±3% tolerance (§316.2955).

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 / windowLegal limit in FloridaStatute
WindshieldTransparent sunscreen strip above the AS-1 line (per FMVSS 205).§316.2952
Front sideAt least 28% light transmittance§316.2953
Back sideSedans: at least 15%.§316.2954
Rear windowSame behind-driver floors: 15% (sedan) / 6% (MPV)§316.2954
SUV / van rearMultipurpose vehicles may go down to 6% VLT on windows behind the driver§316.2954
ReflectionFront side ≤25% reflectance; behind the driver ≤35% (measured on the nonfilm side)§§316.2953, 316.2954
Banned colorsNot specified in statute, no color ban appears in §§316.2951–2957§§316.2951–2957
Medical exemptionAllowedAvailable (details in the medical exemption section below).§316.29545
Meter tolerance±3% measurement tolerance§316.2955

Penalties & how it's enforced

What happens if your tint is too dark.

Offense & fine
Operating: noncriminal traffic infraction (nonmoving violation). Selling/installing violating material: second-degree misdemeanor. Dollar amounts are not in the tint statute; set by ch. 318 county schedules.
State inspection
Florida has no periodic vehicle safety inspection, tint cannot fail an inspection.
Meter tolerance
±3% measurement tolerance
Recent changes

SB 826 (2025), withdrawn: The widely repeated "2025 change effective January 2026" is false: the only 2025 tint-adjacent bill (SB 826) was withdrawn in April 2025 and never touched VLT. The percentages are unchanged since 1999 (ch. 99-248).

The medical exemption: how to qualify

For drivers with a documented light-sensitivity condition.

Available?
Allowed
How it works
A nontransferable medical exemption certificate (lupus, autoimmune and other light-sensitivity conditions): FLHSMV form HSMV 83390, certified by a physician, PA, or ARNP. Void when the vehicle is sold.
Citation
§316.29545 · official source →

What Florida drivers get wrong

Florida uses a three-tier system: 28% on the front doors, 15% behind the driver for sedans, and a genuine 6% floor, not "anything goes", for SUVs, vans, and trucks. The windshield rule is the federal AS-1 line, with no inch figure in the statute, and measurements carry a ±3% tolerance.

Common questions

Did Florida’s tint law change in 2026?

No. The only 2025 bill that touched the tint chapter (SB 826) was withdrawn in April 2025 and dealt with process servers, not darkness limits. Florida’s VLT percentages have been unchanged since 1999.

Can my SUV have limo tint in the back in Florida?

Almost, multipurpose vehicles may go as dark as 6% VLT on windows behind the driver (§316.2954). True 5% "limo" film is below the legal floor.

Is 20% tint legal on front windows in Florida?

No. Front side windows must allow at least 28% of light through (§316.2953), and no more than 25% reflectance.

How do I get Florida’s medical tint exemption?

File form HSMV 83390 with FLHSMV, certified by a physician, physician assistant, or ARNP, for qualifying light-sensitivity conditions (§316.29545). The certificate is nontransferable and becomes void if the vehicle is sold.

Primary source
Fla. Stat. §§316.2951–316.2957
Official text · leg.state.fl.us
PlainStatute Editorial
Every figure on this page is checked line-by-line against the current statute. Editorial standards →

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.