Vehicle Law · Window Tint
Window Tint Laws in Washington
The exact legal darkness allowed on every window of your vehicle in Washington, 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 Washington 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 |
Standard passenger cars shown. Manufacturer-designated trucks, motor homes, and MPVs may go below 24% behind the driver with ≤35% reflectance and dual mirrors (RCW 46.37.430(5)(b)).
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 Washington | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield | Transparent material along the top edge only: not into the AS-1 portion, no more than 6 inches from the top; clear UV film allowed | RCW 46.37.430(5)(e) |
| Front side | At least 24% light transmission (net film, film plus factory glass); only a single sheet of film allowed | RCW 46.37.430(5)(a) |
| Back side | At least 24% on standard passenger cars | RCW 46.37.430(5)(a) |
| Rear window | At least 24% on standard passenger cars | RCW 46.37.430(5)(a) |
| SUV / van rear | Vehicles the manufacturer identifies as trucks, motor homes, or multipurpose passenger vehicles (plus limousines, hearses, buses, and ambulances) may go below 24% behind the driver, if reflectance stays at or below 35% and the vehicle has outside mirrors on both sides | RCW 46.37.430(5)(b) |
| Reflection | 35% total reflectance or less | RCW 46.37.430(5)(a) |
| Banned colors | ProhibitedMirror-finish products; red, gold, yellow, or black material; brushed/sprayed-on liquid films | RCW 46.37.430(5)(g) |
| Medical exemption | AllowedAvailable (details in the medical exemption section below). | RCW 46.37.430(5)(d); WSP gui… |
| Meter tolerance | Not specified, no tolerance exists in the law | RCW 46.37.430 |
Penalties & how it's enforced
What happens if your tint is too dark.
-: No 2025–2026 change found; the substantive values are long-standing.
The medical exemption: how to qualify
For drivers with a documented light-sensitivity condition.
What Washington drivers get wrong
Washington applies one honest number, 24% net film, counting the factory glass, to every window of a car, bans an unusual color list (red, gold, yellow, black, and any mirror finish), and allows only a single sheet of film per window. Trucks, motor homes, and MPVs may go darker behind the driver; there is no inspection program and no meter tolerance.
Common questions
Is 20% tint legal in Washington?
On a standard car, no, every window except the windshield must let through at least 24% of light (net of factory glass). On a manufacturer-designated truck, motor home, or MPV, 20% is legal behind the driver with dual mirrors.
Does Washington require a tint exemption form or sticker?
No. The medical exemption is simply a written verification from a licensed physician carried in the vehicle, the State Patrol confirms there is no form, permit, or sticker. Only a physician qualifies as the signer.
What colors of tint are illegal in Washington?
Red, gold, yellow, and black material are banned outright, along with mirror-finish products and brushed or sprayed-on liquid films (RCW 46.37.430(5)(g)).
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.