Florida limits how dark and how reflective your window tint can be. Here are the legal tint percentages for 2026, straight from Florida Statutes 316.2951–316.2957, in plain English.
| Window | Cars | SUVs / Trucks / Vans |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield | Non-reflective, transparent strip above the AS-1 line only | |
| Front side | 28%+ VLT | 28%+ VLT |
| Rear side | 15%+ VLT | 6%+ VLT |
| Rear window | 15%+ VLT | 6%+ VLT |
| Reflectivity | Max 25% front side · Max 35% rear side & rear | |
VLT = Visible Light Transmission (the % of light the film + glass lets through). Dark rear glass requires side mirrors on both sides.
Florida splits its tint rules into two groups. Passenger cars (sedans, coupes, hatchbacks and wagons) can run 28% on the front sides and 15% on the rear sides and back glass. Multipurpose vehicles (SUVs, pickup trucks and vans) keep the same 28% front-side limit but can go as dark as 6% behind the driver. The windshield rule is identical for every vehicle: only a non-reflective strip above the AS-1 line.
The lower the number, the darker the tint. Our quick guide:
For most Florida drivers, 30–35% in front with 15–20% in back is the sweet spot. Ceramic film cuts heat no matter which shade you choose.
No, not on a passenger car. On SUVs, trucks and vans the rear side and back windows can go down to 6%, so 5% is still just under the limit. The only exception is a medical exemption certificate.
Front side windows: 28% on every vehicle. Behind the driver: 15% on cars, 6% on SUVs, trucks and vans.
Driving with illegal tint is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation (ticket and fine). Shops that sell or install illegal tint commit a second-degree misdemeanor.
Drivers with lupus, an autoimmune disease, or another condition that requires limited light exposure can apply to the FLHSMV for a medical exemption certificate. It allows darker tint, stays with that vehicle, and can’t be transferred.
Tint is checked with a handheld VLT meter that clamps over or presses against the window and shines light through the glass. The reading is the total light passing through the film and the factory glass combined, so a 35% film on lightly tinted factory glass may read around 30%. That is why we meter every install, so your windows land on the legal side of the line, not just the film box.
On rear side and rear windows, yes. On front side windows, no, since they must be 28% or lighter.
Only a non-reflective strip above the AS-1 line at the top of the windshield.
Factory privacy glass counts toward VLT. Film over it must still meet the 6% limit.
Yes. Officers use a tint meter to measure VLT on the actual glass.
Yes. Tint that looks darker or more reflective than the law allows gives an officer reason to stop you and meter the glass. A violation is a nonmoving infraction with a ticket and fine.
Yes. Florida requires a label identifying legal tint, installed between the film and the glass on the driver’s side window (Fla. Stat. 316.2953/316.2954). Reputable shops apply it at install.
Ceramic film, metered to Florida law, at our Palm Harbor, Lutz and Sarasota shops. Lifetime warranty.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws can change. See Florida Statutes 316.2951–316.2957 for the official text.
