Vehicle Law · Window Tint
Window Tint Laws in South Carolina
The exact legal darkness allowed on every window of your vehicle in South Carolina, 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 South Carolina limit.
| Film shade | Front side | Back & rear |
|---|---|---|
| 70% (light) | Legal | Legal |
| 50% | Legal | Legal |
| 35% (factory look) | Legal | Legal |
| 20% | Too dark | Too dark |
| 5% (limo) | Too dark | Too dark |
Any film on the rear-most window requires one right and one left outside rearview mirror (§56-5-5015(D)). Every tinted window must carry a certificate of compliance in its lower right corner (§56-5-5015(E)).
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 South Carolina | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield | A sunscreening device may be used only along the top of the windshield and may not extend below the AS-1 line; if the AS-1 line is not visible, no film may be applied to the windshield. | §56-5-5015(B) |
| Front side | Combined light transmission of at least 27% on the front side wings and side windows; the film must be nonreflective | §56-5-5015(C) |
| Back side | Combined light transmission of at least 27% on side windows behind the driver; film must be nonreflective | §56-5-5015(C) |
| Rear window | Combined light transmission of at least 27% on the rear-most window (the pre-1993 20% floor no longer applies to new film); nonreflective, and one right and one left outside mirror required whenever the rear window is tinted | §56-5-5015(D)(2) |
| SUV / van rear | The 27% rule applies to windows behind the driver on pickup trucks, but not to windows behind the driver on other trucks, buses, trailers, mobile homes, multipurpose passenger vehicles, or recreational vehicles | §56-5-5015(I) |
| Reflection | Every sunscreening device must be nonreflective, defined as primarily designed to absorb rather than reflect light (no percentage stated) | §56-5-5015(B) |
| Banned colors | ProhibitedRed, yellow, and amber (on the windshield strip) | §56-5-5015(B) |
| Medical exemption | AllowedAvailable (details in the medical exemption section below). | §56-5-5015(H)(1) |
| Meter tolerance | Not specified in statute; §56-5-5015 sets the 27% and 20% standards with no metering variance | §56-5-5015 |
Penalties & how it's enforced
What happens if your tint is too dark.
2002 Act No. 339, §40 (effective 2002-01-01): No recent VLT change. The section was last substantively amended in 2002 (Act 339); the current 27% side and rear standards trace to the 1992 amendment (Act 462) that replaced the old 20% rear floor effective January 1, 1993.
The medical exemption: how to qualify
For drivers with a documented light-sensitivity condition.
What South Carolina drivers get wrong
South Carolina keeps one number for every window that can carry film: 27%. Front sides, rear sides, and the rear glass all have to let at least 27% of light through, and the windshield gets only a nonreflective strip above the AS-1 line. Two things trip people up here. Tint the rear window and you must run outside mirrors on both sides, and every tinted window has to wear a certificate of compliance in its lower right corner, or the installer and the owner both face charges.
Common questions
What is the legal tint limit in South Carolina?
At least 27% light transmission on the front side windows, the side windows behind the driver, and the rear-most window (§56-5-5015). The windshield may only carry a nonreflective strip above the AS-1 line.
Do I need a mirror or a sticker for tinted windows in South Carolina?
Both, in effect. If the rear window is tinted you must have one right and one left outside rearview mirror. Separately, every window with after-factory film must carry a certificate of compliance in its inside lower right corner showing the VLT and installer details; missing it is a misdemeanor for the owner and the installer.
Does South Carolina allow darker tint on an SUV or truck?
Yes, for most of them. The 27% rule for windows behind the driver does not apply to trucks (other than pickups), buses, trailers, mobile homes, multipurpose passenger vehicles, or recreational vehicles (§56-5-5015(I)). Pickup trucks still have to meet 27% behind the driver.
Can I get a medical tint exemption in South Carolina?
Yes. With an affidavit from a South Carolina-licensed physician or optometrist stating a physical condition requires darker tint, the vehicle is exempt. Keep the affidavit in the car, show it on request, and renew it every two years (§56-5-5015(H)).
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.