Understanding Florida’s Tint Laws

No one wants to break the law while driving, and in the case of many Florida residents, laws concerning comprehensive legal tint regulations can be especially confusing. If you’re ever pulled over by law enforcement for suspected tint infractions, avoidance of a lengthy, potentially costly litigation with your window tint provider could be the difference between continued peace of mind and a world of financial headaches.

If you haven’t already, it’s worth reading up on Florida’s tint laws. While they might seem excessive upon first inspection, their purpose is important. Tint can help reduce heat and glare from the sun, but excessive tint can also impair visibility while driving, which can lead to potential accidents.

In 2017, tint laws in the Sunshine State were revised, which led to confusion among many tint providers and drivers alike. There are two sets of tint laws: one that covers the tint you can have on a passenger car, truck or van, and another that covers the tint you can have on multiple passenger vehicles, trucks, SUVs and vans. Many people mistakenly think the second set of laws applies to all classes of passenger vehicles.

The legal Florida tint for most passenger vehicles is as follows:

• Windshield: Non-reflective tint above the manufacturer’s AS-1 line or within five inches of the top of the windshield.
• Front side windows: Tint must allow more than 28 percent of light in.
• Back side windows: Tint must allow more that 15 percent of light in.
• Rear window: Tint must allow more than 15 percent of light in.
• Back windows: Tint must allow no less than 15 percent of light in.

Certain exceptions can be made to these tint laws. For instance, if you or another occupant of your vehicle have been diagnosed with certain medical conditions that require sunlight to be blocked to prevent further injury, you may qualify for an exemption. The Florida statute requires that anyone who applies for one of these exemptions have a written certificate on file with their tint provider.

It may seem obvious that you shouldn’t break the tint laws for your vehicle, but if you do, you could find yourself facing a civil lawsuit that costs thousands of dollars in fines. Also, Florida statute requires tint providers to keep a written certificate on file with their customers, and a purchase agreement that does not have such a certificate can lead to a lawsuit as well.

If windows on your vehicle have been tinted, make sure to check the tint gradually as you drive the vehicle over time. Likewise, if you decide to tint your windows, ask your provider to show you a sample and follow up with a certificate for your records.