Last updated August 2026

Kentucky Window Tint Laws 2026

Kentucky requires 35% VLT on front side windows for every vehicle. Behind the driver, the state doesn't just switch to "unlimited" for bigger vehicles the way most states do, it sets two distinct, specific numbers: 18% VLT for a passenger car, and 8% VLT for a multipurpose vehicle like an SUV, van, or truck. Both are genuine, regulated limits with a matching reflectance cap, not open darkness.

Check the date on any Kentucky tint guide you read: Senate Bill 46 (2024) legalized full windshield tint at 70%+ VLT, non-red, non-yellow. Before that law, only the top strip was allowed at all. A guide still describing "AS-1 line only" on the windshield predates the change.

Quick Reference

Window	Passenger Car	Multipurpose Vehicle
Windshield	70%+ VLT, non-reflective, not red or yellow
Front side windows	35%, 25% reflectance max	35%, 25% reflectance max
Windows behind the driver	18%	8%
Reflectance, behind driver	35% max, both vehicle types
Perforated film option	30% transmittance, 35% avg. reflectance

Front Side Windows Have Their Own Reflectance Cap

KRS 189.110's front-window provision sets 35% VLT as the light transmittance floor, confirmed the same way for every vehicle type, alongside a 25% reflectance cap on that nonfilm side, a tighter limit than the 35% reflectance allowed on the windows behind the driver. This is a real, distinct number worth knowing rather than assuming the same reflectance figure applies everywhere on the car.

The statute also permits an alternative to standard tint film on the windows behind the driver: perforated sunscreening material, tested with the existing glazing, needs at least 30% light transmittance and an average reflectance no higher than 35%, measured across 16 equal sections with no single section exceeding 50%. This covers products like micro-perforated privacy film that don't behave like a uniform tint sheet.

Not "Unlimited," a Real Second Number

KRS 189.110(4)(a) sets the standard for windows behind the driver: a passenger car needs sunscreen material with a light transmittance of at least 18%. The same subsection then adds a specific carve-out, sunscreen material may instead have a light transmittance of at least 8% when used on multipurpose passenger vehicles. Both tiers carry the identical reflectance ceiling of 35%.

This is worth spelling out because most competitor guides shorthand it as "any darkness for SUVs," which overstates it. 8% is genuinely very dark, close to limo tint, but it's still a defined statutory floor a shop and driver are expected to meet, not an unregulated category.

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The Windshield Rule Changed in 2024

Before Senate Bill 46, Kentucky's windshield rule allowed only a narrow strip of sunscreening material at the top, the AS-1 line allowance most states still use, roughly 5 inches down from the top edge, and nothing below it. SB 46 replaced that with a new standard: sunscreening material may be applied to the windshield, used in conjunction with the safety glazing, if it has a light transmittance of not less than 70% and is not red or yellow in color. That's a real expansion, not a minor tweak, full-windshield tint is now legal in Kentucky as long as it stays light and isn't one of the two banned colors.

Legal vs Illegal

Legal

✓35%+ VLT film on front side windows, any vehicle
✓18%+ VLT behind the driver on a passenger car
✓8%+ VLT behind the driver on a multipurpose vehicle
✓Full windshield tint at 70%+ VLT, non-red, non-yellow

Illegal

✕Front side film below 35% VLT without exemption
✕Rear film below 18% on a sedan, or below 8% on an MPV
✕Reflectance above 35% on rear windows
✕Windshield tint below 70% VLT, or in red or yellow

The Dual Mirror Requirement

If the rear window is tinted, dual side mirrors are required, regardless of whether the vehicle is a passenger car or a multipurpose vehicle. This is worth confirming before an install if your rear glass is going dark, most factory setups already comply.

Fines and Penalties

A tint violation is a Class B misdemeanor, with fines commonly reported in the $20 to $100 range.

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Medical Exemptions

Kentucky offers a medical exemption administered through the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, requiring a signed physician's statement carried in the vehicle. Specific percentage allowances under the exemption weren't confirmed against the exact statutory text in this research; if darker-than-standard tint for a documented medical condition is something you're pursuing, confirm current requirements directly with the Transportation Cabinet.

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The Installer Label Requirement

Every installer or seller of sunscreening material must provide the buyer a pressure-sensitive, self-destructive, nonremovable vinyl-type film label stating that the material complies with KRS 189.010(20)-(23) and the relevant subsections of 189.110. This is a real, specific compliance document, not just good business practice, keep it if your shop gives you one.

The statute also requires that tint failing to meet these standards be removed immediately once identified, it's not a fine-and-move-on situation from the law's own text, non-compliant material is expected to come off.

Enforcement

Tint is a primary offense in Kentucky. Every percentage measurement under the relevant subsections carries a tolerance of plus or minus 3%, confirmed directly in the statute itself, so a rear window measuring 15% on a passenger car would still read as non-compliant against the 18% floor even with that tolerance applied, while one at 35% on the front would pass comfortably.

What Legal Tint Actually Costs in Kentucky

Since the rear standard now depends specifically on vehicle classification rather than a flat "any darkness" allowance, passenger car owners commonly aim for film noticeably darker than the front at 18% to 20%, while SUV and truck owners can go much darker, close to the 8% floor. Ceramic film is a common upgrade for UV and infrared rejection at any given VLT.

Film Type	Sedan	SUV / Truck
Dyed film	$130 to $250	$190 to $360
Carbon film	$190 to $310	$250 to $400
Ceramic film	$220 to $420	$310 to $570

Use the calculator to get an estimate specific to your vehicle before contacting any shop.

Free Tint Cost Calculator

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the legal tint limit in Kentucky?+

35% VLT on front side windows for every vehicle. Behind the driver, the number depends on vehicle type: a passenger car needs 18% VLT, while a multipurpose vehicle, SUVs, vans, and trucks, needs only 8% VLT. Both are specific, regulated numbers, not unlimited darkness.

Do SUVs get unlimited rear tint in Kentucky?+

No, and this is a genuine correction most guides need. KRS 189.110(4)(a) sets a specific 8% VLT floor for multipurpose vehicles behind the driver, not an unrestricted allowance. It's very dark, close to limo tint, but it's still a defined legal limit with a matching 35% reflectance cap, the same reflectance cap that applies to a passenger car's 18% rear tint.

Can I tint my windshield in Kentucky?+

Yes, as of Senate Bill 46 in 2024. Before that law, only a narrow strip along the top was allowed. Now the full windshield can carry sunscreening material used with the safety glazing, provided it has a light transmittance of at least 70% and is not red or yellow in color.

What is the fine for illegal tint in Kentucky?+

A violation is a Class B misdemeanor, with fines commonly reported between $20 and $100.

Does Kentucky require a compliance label from the tint installer?+

Yes. KRS 189.110(6) requires every installer or seller of sunscreening material to provide the buyer a pressure-sensitive, self-destructive, nonremovable vinyl-type film label stating the material complies with the statute. Keep this document, it's a real compliance record.

Do I need dual mirrors if my rear window is tinted in Kentucky?+

Yes. If the rear window is tinted, the vehicle must have dual side mirrors, regardless of whether it's a passenger car or a multipurpose vehicle.

Tint Enforcement by City

Louisville

LMPD and Kentucky State Police both enforce, I-64, I-65, and I-71 see regular patrol presence.

Lexington

I-64 and I-75 corridor, standard statewide rules apply.

Bowling Green

I-65 corridor, consistent statewide enforcement pattern.

Owensboro

US-60 corridor near the Indiana border, standard statewide procedure applies.

Frankfort

State capital, home to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, which administers medical exemptions.

Window Tint Laws by State

Kentucky tint law is one piece of a bigger picture. Every state sets its own VLT limits, and they vary more than most drivers expect. Browse the full directory below.

California Texas Florida New York Georgia Pennsylvania Illinois Ohio North Carolina Michigan Arizona Nevada Virginia Washington Colorado New Jersey Tennessee Massachusetts Indiana Missouri Wisconsin Maryland Minnesota South Carolina Alabama Louisiana Oklahoma Kentucky Alaska Arkansas Connecticut Delaware Hawaii Idaho Iowa Kansas Maine Mississippi Montana Nebraska New Hampshire New Mexico North Dakota Oregon Rhode Island South Dakota Utah Vermont West Virginia Wyoming View Tint Laws Hub →

Kentucky tint law reference: KRS 189.110, as amended by 2024 Senate Bill 46 (windshield provision). Laws can change. Always verify current requirements with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet before getting your windows tinted.