California Window Tinting Laws

California is one of the hottest states in the US, and many car owners will likely want to tint their car windows to keep their car interiors cool. Window tint films can reduce the heat that gets in a vehicle and protect the interior from receiving heat damages.

Car owners should first consider the state’s window tinting laws before getting their windows tinted. People should look for a reputable and professional window tinting company that follows the law to ensure that they won’t have trouble in the future.

California’s car window tinting laws were set up in 1999 and focused on the tint film’s darkness and reflectiveness. SUVs, vans, and sedans are allowed to have non-reflective tint on the top 4 inches of the windshields. The front-side window should be able to let 88% of light in when using aftermarket tint film or a minimum of 70% when combined with factory-tinted windows, and darker tints are illegal in the state. The back-side and rear windows are allowed to have tints of any darkness.

The tint reflection rule for sedans, SUVs, and vans are the same. A vehicle’s front-side and back-side window tints must not be more reflective than those of standard windows.

Car owners can get window tint films of various colors, but California’s tint laws do not permit owners to get such tints. Window tints in California must always be colorless.

California’s window tinting laws also state that window tint manufacturers must have their films certified by the state before selling them and that there are medical exemptions that allow for darker tints on all windows.

Car owners need to follow the laws stated above to ensure that they can drive safely, especially at nighttime, and they can only do so by trusting in a reputable window tint company. To know more about California’s window tinting laws, car owners can see this infographic by Global Tint USA.