Legal Tint in WV: 35% VLT Rules and Rear-Window Exceptions

West Virginia generally requires at least 35% visible light transmission (VLT) on tinted front side windows and on passenger-car rear windows. Trucks and multipurpose passenger vehicles have a rear-window darkness exception. Windshield film is normally limited to a strip at the top—not the entire windshield. These rules come from West Virginia Code §17C-15-36a.

VLT is the percentage of visible light that passes through: a lower number means darker tint. Choose film based on the result on your glass, not just the percentage printed on the box.

Reviewed October 24, 2026. General information, not legal advice; verify current requirements with West Virginia DMV or State Police before installation.

West Virginia tint limits by window

The table covers ordinary aftermarket tint on personal-use cars and light trucks without a medical exemption. The statute applies to vehicles registered, or required to be registered, in West Virginia on public roads.

Window	Passenger car	Truck or qualifying multipurpose passenger vehicle
Windshield	Nonreflective top strip only, ending at the AS-1 line or five inches below the top, whichever is closer to the top	Same
Front side windows beside the driver	At least 35% VLT; no more than 20% reflectivity; nonreflective type	Same
Rear side windows behind the driver	At least 35% VLT; no more than 20% reflectivity	No statutory minimum VLT; no more than 20% reflectivity
Rear windshield/rearmost window	At least 35% VLT; no more than 20% reflectivity	No statutory minimum VLT; no more than 20% reflectivity

These limits and exceptions are in §17C-15-36a(b), (c) and (g). When sunscreening material is used on glass behind the driver, both left and right outside rearview mirrors are required.

SUVs, vans and factory privacy glass

The statute defines a multipurpose passenger vehicle as one designed to carry ten people or fewer and built on a truck chassis or with special features for occasional off-road use. The State Police inspection manual, section 9.4, lists SUVs and vans among vehicles with rear-window exceptions. Confirm your vehicle’s classification rather than assuming every crossover qualifies.

The inspection manual describes the rear-window exception more broadly, but subsection (g) of the statute removes only the light-transmission requirement. The table follows that narrower statutory wording and retains the reflectivity limit. Do not treat “any darkness” as permission to install mirror-finish rear film.

Factory-installed sunscreening is separately exempt under the statute, and the inspection manual excludes tint applied by the original vehicle manufacturer. That does not automatically exempt film added later by a dealer, previous owner or tint shop.

Is 35%, 20% or 5% film legal?

35% film is not a guaranteed legal choice on a window subject to the 35% limit. Existing glass also reduces light transmission. The inspection manual instructs inspectors to use an approved tint meter on vehicles with installed window tint.

For purchasing purposes, target a measured glass-and-film result of at least 35% on regulated windows. A useful estimate, using decimal VLT values, is:

Glass VLT × film VLT = approximate finished VLT

For example, assuming glass measures 80% VLT:

• 35% film: 0.80 × 0.35 = 28% estimated finished VLT.
• 50% film: 0.80 × 0.50 = 40% estimated finished VLT.

These are calculations, not readings from your vehicle. Ask the installer to measure the glass first and verify the finished windows afterward. Our 35 percent tint guide explains the film-label distinction in more detail.

20% and 5% aftermarket tint are too dark for ordinary front side windows and passenger-car rear windows. They may be used behind the driver on vehicles covered by the rear VLT exception, provided the other applicable requirements are met. A medical exemption is a separate route—not a general allowance for darker film.

Windshield, color and installation requirements

Without a medical exemption, do not order full-windshield film, even if it is marketed as light or nearly clear. West Virginia permits the top strip only, with the shorter of the AS-1 boundary and five-inch depth controlling. The statute also prohibits red, yellow or amber windshield sunscreening. The inspection manual more broadly lists red, yellow, amber and mirror-appearance devices as prohibited.

Under §17C-15-36a(d)–(e), manufacturers must certify compliant products to State Police and DMV. Installation requires a permanent label between the film and each glazing surface, identifying the manufacturer and light-transmission percentage. The label belongs in the lower-left corner when viewed from outside.

Ask your installer to include those labels rather than relying on an invoice as proof of compliance.

Medical exemptions and inspection

The medical exemption in §17C-15-36a(f) requires:

• A vehicle registered in West Virginia in the affected person’s name or their legal guardian’s name.
• An affidavit signed by a physician or optometrist licensed in West Virginia, stating that a physical condition requires otherwise noncompliant sunscreening.
• The affidavit in the affected person’s or guardian’s possession whenever that person is transported in the vehicle.

For inspection, the State Police manual specifies an original, dated letter on the doctor’s office letterhead, stating the medical condition and signed by the doctor. Prescription pads and copies are not accepted.

Noncompliant tint can cause inspection rejection. A violation of the tint statute is a misdemeanor punishable, upon conviction, by a fine of up to $200 under §17C-15-36a(i).

Before paying for installation, have the shop confirm your vehicle class, measure existing glass, specify compliant finished VLT for each regulated window, and include the required labels. That is more useful than asking for “the darkest legal film” without identifying the window.