Vehicle Law · Window Tint
Window Tint Laws in South Dakota
The exact legal darkness allowed on every window of your vehicle in South Dakota, plus reflection limits, the medical exemption, and what a ticket costs.
Have a shade in mind? Check your film's VLT in the South Dakota window tint checker →
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 Dakota limit.
| Film shade | Front side | Back & rear |
|---|---|---|
| 70% (light) | Legal | Legal |
| 50% | Legal | Legal |
| 35% (factory look) | Legal | Legal |
| 20% | Too dark | Legal |
| 5% (limo) | Too dark | Too dark |
South Dakota measures the front windshield and front side windows as a combined level, so factory glass tint counts toward the 35% (§32-15-2.4). A 9% enforcement tolerance is built into both the 35% and 20% limits.
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 Dakota | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield | No sunscreening device may obstruct or reduce the driver’s clear view. | SDCL §32‑15‑2.9 |
| Front side | At least 35% combined light transmittance on the front windshield, side wing vents, and front side windows; a 9% enforcement tolerance applies | SDCL §32‑15‑2.4 |
| Back side | At least 20% light transmission on windows behind the operator’s seat; a 9% enforcement tolerance applies | SDCL §32‑15‑2.5 |
| Rear window | At least 20% light transmission; the statute treats the rear window as one of the windows behind the operator’s seat, with a 9% enforcement tolerance | SDCL §32‑15‑2.5 |
| SUV / van rear | No vehicle-class exemption, the 20% rule for windows behind the operator’s seat applies to all registered vehicles the same way | SDCL §32‑15‑2.5 |
| Reflection | Not specified in statute; SDCL chapter 32-15 sets no reflectance limit for window film | SDCL §32‑15‑2.4 to -2.9 |
| Banned colors | Not specified in statute; SDCL chapter 32-15 names no prohibited tint colors | SDCL §32‑15‑2.4 to -2.9 |
| Medical exemption | NoneNo medical exemption exists in this state. | SDCL §32‑15‑2.4 to -2.9 |
| Meter tolerance | 9% enforcement tolerance written into both the 35% and 20% standards | SDCL §32‑15‑2.4 |
Penalties & how it's enforced
What happens if your tint is too dark.
SL 1994, ch 257 (effective 1994-07-01): No recent change. The current limits date to the 1994 rewrite of chapter 32-15 (SL 1994, ch 257): 35% on the front glass, 20% behind the driver, each with a 9% enforcement tolerance, plus the AS-1/sun-visor windshield rule.
Medical exemption: none in this state
What the statute actually provides.
What South Dakota drivers get wrong
South Dakota splits the car in two. Up front, the windshield and side windows next to the driver have to reach a combined 35% light, and because it is a combined figure the factory glass counts against you before any film goes on. Behind the driver’s seat the floor drops to 20%. Both numbers come with a generous 9% enforcement tolerance built right into the statute, which is unusual. The windshield itself can only carry film above the AS-1 line or the bottom of the sun visor.
Common questions
What is the legal tint limit in South Dakota?
At least 35% combined light on the front windshield and front side windows (§32-15-2.4) and at least 20% on the windows behind the driver, including the rear window (§32-15-2.5). Each limit carries a 9% enforcement tolerance.
What does the 9% enforcement tolerance mean in South Dakota?
The statute measures a violation only when light transmittance falls below the limit by more than 9 points. In practice a front reading is treated as legal down to about 26% and a rear reading down to about 11%, but the written standards remain 35% and 20%.
Does South Dakota have a medical exemption for window tint?
No. Chapter 32-15 has no physician-affidavit path or medical waiver, and the Department of Public Safety issues no tint exemption. A darker-than-legal medical need is not recognized by the statute.
What is the penalty for illegal tint in South Dakota?
Each violation is a Class 2 misdemeanor (§32-15-2.4, -2.5, -2.9), which in South Dakota can mean up to 30 days in jail and a $500 fine.
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.