Indiana Window Tint Limits by Window
See Indiana tint laws by window, calculate finished VLT, and check the AS-1 windshield line, reflectance cap, medical exception, stops, and penalties.
For an ordinary aftermarket tint job in Indiana, the conservative specification is at least 30% visible light transmission (VLT) and no more than 25% visible-light reflectance on regulated glass. Windshield tint must remain above the AS-1 line. A medical exception requires certification from an Indiana-licensed physician or optometrist, renewed annually and carried in the vehicle.
Enter the measured factory-glass VLT and proposed film VLT to estimate the finished window.
Finished VLT Estimate
The default example combines 80% factory glass with 35% film.
This multiplication estimate does not calculate reflectance. Indiana’s conservative reflectance specification is no more than 25%. Confirm the finished window with a meter.
Source: Indiana Code § 9-19-19-4; estimate uses finished VLT = glass VLT × film VLT.
This is general information, not legal advice. Tint rules can change, so check the current Indiana Code or confirm an unusual installation with Indiana State Police before ordering film.
Indiana Tint Limits by Window
| Window | Conservative specification |
|---|---|
| Windshield | Visor strip ending at the AS-1 line; at least 30% VLT and no more than 25% reflectance |
| Front side windows | At least 30% VLT and no more than 25% reflectance |
| Rear side windows | The numerical subsection does not expressly name them; 2025 Indiana State Police guidance said to use at least 30% VLT on any side window |
| Rear window | At least 30% VLT and no more than 25% reflectance |
Indiana Code § 9-19-19-4(c) expressly names the windshield, side wing, front-door side windows and rear back window. Its wording prohibits covered or treated glass that has more than 25% total solar reflectance of visible light and less than 30% visible-light transmittance, measured from the non-film side. Subsection (d) confines an allowed windshield treatment to the uppermost area and says it may not extend below the AS-1 line (Indiana Code § 9-19-19-4).
The statute does not expressly include rear-door side windows in that numerical list. However, a February 2025 report of Indiana State Police guidance said legal tint transmitting at least 30% of light could be applied to any side window or rear glass (WFIE report of the ISP guidance).
For a low-risk installation, use the 30% finished-VLT target on rear side glass rather than treating the statute’s narrower list as permission for darker film. Ask Indiana State Police for current guidance if that distinction affects your purchase.
The cited section does not provide separate aftermarket-tint tables for sedans and SUVs. The same conservative specification is therefore appropriate for either vehicle type, subject to the factory-glazing exception discussed below.
A 30% Film May Produce a Darker Window
VLT is the share of visible light passing through the completed glass-and-film assembly. A lower number means darker glass. The film’s advertised shade is not necessarily the finished window VLT.
The estimate is: finished VLT = factory-glass VLT × film VLT.
For example, nominal 35% film over glass that transmits 80% of visible light produces an estimated finished VLT of 0.35 × 0.80 = 0.28, or 28%. That is below the practical 30% target even though the film is sold as “35%.” See how film and factory glass combine for a fuller explanation.
Ask the installer to meter the bare glass before choosing film and meter the completed regulated windows afterward. Targeting a result comfortably above 30%, rather than exactly on the line, allows for glass variation and meter differences.
Put the promised finished VLT on the work order. Retain the invoice, film specifications and any before-and-after meter readings.
Windshield Tint Must Stop at the AS-1 Line
Indiana does not generally permit dark film across the full windshield. The ordinary permitted treatment is an upper visor strip ending at the vehicle’s AS-1 marking. Use the actual marking on the windshield rather than assuming a strip of a particular depth is allowed.
The 2025 Indiana State Police reminder specifically warned against tint below that line. Do not assume a clear or high-VLT heat-control film is lawful across the full windshield merely because it is light. Placement and light transmission are separate issues under the statute. The front windshield tint guide covers the related purchasing considerations.
Indiana separately prohibits signs, sunscreening material and other nontransparent material that obstructs the driver’s clear view. A sign or similar item no larger than four inches square may be placed in the lower corner farthest from the driver (Indiana Code § 9-19-19-3).
The Medical Exception Requires Annual Certification
The tint section does not apply to the driver of a vehicle that is:
- owned by someone who must be shielded from direct sunlight for medical reasons; or
- regularly used to carry a habitual passenger with that medical need.
A physician or optometrist licensed to practice in Indiana must attest to the medical reason. The certification must be carried in the vehicle and renewed annually. The statutory text does not describe a permanent exemption sticker or one-time approval (Indiana Code § 9-19-19-4(b)).
Give the current certification to the installer before exempt tint is applied. Section 4(e) allows an installer to perform otherwise noncompliant work for someone who submits the required medical statement.
Factory Glazing Has a Separate Exception
Section 4 does not apply to a manufacturer’s tinting or glazing that complies with or is permitted by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 205. The same subsection says proof from the manufacturer, supplier or installer of that compliance must be carried in the vehicle (Indiana Code § 9-19-19-4(a)).
That exception is not permission to add any darkness of aftermarket film over factory privacy glass. Added film reduces the combined VLT. Have the installer identify which glass is regulated and meter the completed assembly.
Officers May Stop a Vehicle to Check Tint
Indiana law expressly allows an officer to stop a vehicle to determine tint compliance. It also says the vehicle, its contents, driver or passengers may not be inspected, searched or further detained solely because of the tint violation (Indiana Code § 9-19-19-4(f)).
A visual assessment can still support the initial stop. In Sanders v. State, the Indiana Supreme Court held that an officer had reasonable suspicion for a tint stop even though later testing showed 38% VLT. That 2013 decision interpreted an earlier version of the statute, so it is most useful as evidence that compliant meter results do not necessarily prevent an initial stop (Indiana Supreme Court opinion).
A driver’s violation of this chapter is generally a Class C infraction; an installer who violates section 4(e) is treated separately (Indiana Code § 9-19-19-7). Court costs and case circumstances mean there is no dependable single statewide “tint ticket price.”
For the lowest-risk purchase, specify a finished VLT comfortably above 30%, reflectance no higher than 25%, no windshield film below the AS-1 line, and before-and-after meter readings recorded on the work order.