Washington window tint law
Front side windows must let through at least 24% of visible light. Middle of the pack on front glass.
The limits, window by window
Washington is among the loosest states on the front glass in the country, second only to New Mexico. The catch is the reflectivity cap — a legal 24% film can still fail if it is metallic or mirrored.
Medical exemption
Yes — written verification from a licensed physician or optometrist
What happens if you are over the limit
Traffic infraction; the film must be removed to clear it.
The statute: Revised Code of Washington §46.37.430
Two things that catch people out
Films are rated alone; the law measures both. A "35% VLT" film placed on factory glass that already transmits 72% reads about 25% at the meter. Installers in strict states will ask what your goal is rather than what film you want, because the film alone does not decide the outcome.
A legal car in one state is not legal in another. Tint rules travel with the registration, not with the driver. If you move from Texas (25%) to California (70%), the same windows become a violation the day you register — and California requires the film itself to transmit 88%, which no normal film does.
Related
Tint is one of three things a state checks. The other two: Washington inspection rules and Washington EV registration surcharge.
Electric vehicle? The charging cost figures on our sister site use the same state boundaries.
Statute and limits checked November 2026.