Tint law
North Carolina Window Tint Law
How dark your window tint can be in North Carolina, window by window, for cars and for SUVs, trucks and vans.
How dark can you tint in North Carolina?
North Carolina measures tint by how much light gets through the glass and film together. The lower the number, the darker the window.
| Window | Cars | SUVs, trucks and vans |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield | Above the AS-1 line | Above the AS-1 line |
| Front side windows | 35% | 35% |
| Rear side windows | 35% | Any shade |
| Rear window | 35% | Any shade |
North Carolina General Statute § 20-127. We check every job against it, but the law can change: the DMV has the final word.
What else the law says
A 3% meter tolerance
North Carolina allows a 3% tolerance, so a 35% window that reads 32% on the meter still passes.
Reflection: 20% at most
Film may not reflect more than 20% of light. Union films are well inside that.
No red, yellow or amber
Tinted film in red, yellow or amber is not allowed on any window.
Medical exemption
Drivers with a medical need for darker tint can apply to the North Carolina DMV for a permit.
Driving over from South Carolina?
South Carolina sets its own limit: 27% on a car’s side and back windows. If your car is registered in South Carolina, that is the law it is checked against.
Questions
North Carolina tint law questions
Yes. 35% is the darkest shade allowed on the side and back windows of a car, and the meter has a 3% tolerance.
Only a strip along the top, down to the AS-1 line marked on the glass. The rest of the windshield stays clear.
Any shade. On SUVs, trucks and vans, the windows behind the driver can be as dark as you like; the front side windows still have to be 35% or lighter.
Yes. The meter reads the glass and the film together, so film over factory privacy glass comes out darker than the film alone. We check your windows before we fit anything.
Free quote
Get a free window tinting quote
We will tell you exactly what is legal for your vehicle before we fit anything.
- Call(704) 294-1702
- Visit2206 Fayetteville rd, Rockingham, NC 28379
- OpenMonday – Friday 9am – 5pm