Illinois Window Tinting Laws

Illinois Car Window Tinting Laws

Darkest legal tint for Sedans in Illinois

 

  • Windshield: Non-reflective window tint is allowed on the top 6 inches of the windshield.
  • Front Side windows: Must allow more than 35% of light in.
  • Back Side windows: Must allow more than 35% of light in.
  • Rear window: Must allow more than 35% of light in.

 

Darkest legal tint for SUV and Vans in Illinois

 

  • Windshield: Non-reflective window tint is allowed on the top 6 inches of the windshield.
  • Front Side windows: Must allow more than 50% of light in.
  • Back Side windows: Any darkness window tint can be used
  • Rear window: Any darkness window tint can be used

 

Please note: The accuracy, completeness, adequacy or currency of the content is not warranted or guaranteed. We are not lawyers or a law firm and we do not provide legal advice. We recommend you consult a lawyer or other appropriate professional if you want legal advice.
 
Window Tint Shades Chart – Window Tint Percentage Examples
 
Illinois car window tint laws were enacted relatively recently in the scheme of things, having been put in place in 2009. While rules governing how dark window tint can be and on what windows it can be placed have not changed significantly since that year, they do change from time to time, so it’s a good idea to check in on current window tint rules before any window film application.
 
The main factor that determines if window tint is legal or not in Illinois is its VLT percent, or visible light transmission percent, shortened to VLT. VLT concerns how much visible light passes through window film, and the more of it the clearer the window. So a window rated at 99% VLT looks almost completely clear, while a window with a 1% VLT looks completely opaque from outside the vehicle.
 
Note that Illinois window tint law does not allow for any metallic and reflective window tinting on cars, so even a tint that is permissible based on visible light transmission may still be illegal under state tinting laws.
 
As the rules about window tint in Illinois are different for various parts of a vehicle and for different types of vehicle, we will look at cars separately from trucks, vans, and SUVs, and we’ll break down each window individually.
 

Car Windshield Tint in Illinois

 
In Illinois, rules regarding windshield tint are the same for SUVs, trucks, vans, and cars, so this section applies to all privately owned and operated vehicles registered in the state. Windshield tint can be applied in a band along the top six inches of the windshield glass, and this tint must be non-reflective.
 
Six inches is about the largest amount of windshield tinting allowed in any state, so note that if you bring a car into Illinois to be registered, you should have no issue with the tinting on the windshield. Factory installed window tint will almost always be within this six-inch margin as well.
 

Front Side Window Tint for Cars in Illinois

 
Under Illinois state law front side windows of cars may be tinted down to a of 35% VLT darkness, ample tinting to offer privacy and add style to a vehicle. Note that you can get the benefits of window film, including blocking damaging UV light and hot IR light, without the use of dark window tint, but if you do want to add privacy to the forward windows, 35% VLT tint will certainly suit.
 
However, note also that if you apply any window tint of perceptible tinting on front windows, you are then limited in the window tint you apply on rear windows. More on that soon.

Rear Side Window Tint for Cars in Illinois
 
The rear side windows of a car in Illinois may be tinted down to 35% VLT. However, if there is no window tinting present on the front side windows, then any darkness of window film may be used on the rear side windows. This is but one of the complexities of Illinois tint law.
 

Rear Windshield Tint for Cars in Illinois

 
Cars can tint their rear windows down to 35% VLT, and indeed using a matching 35% VLT tint on all side windows and the rear window is a great way to create a uniformity of appearance for your car.
 

Medical Exemptions for Window Tint in Illinois

 
If you have a medical condition that warrants the use of darker window tint than usually allowed by Illinois state law, you can get an exam from an ophthalmologist, dermatologist, general physician, or other medical professional and get a document stating your need for darker tint. Medical tint exemptions tend to work on a case by case basis, so be clear about your concerns and needs both with your doctor and with your window film installer, and keep all paperwork clearing the tint in the vehicle at all times.

 

Other Idaho Car Window Tint Laws to Know

 
Under 2021 Illinois tint regulations, there are no banned colors of window tint you can apply on your vehicle. Many states prohibit yellow, red, and amber shades of tint, but in Illinois all colors of window tint are currently legal.
 
Window tint manufacturers are not required to certify the window film they sell in Illinois, nor are installers required to do certify it. Illinois tint rules do not require use of stickers on tinted windows that establish the tint as following the rules.
 
Illinois tint law is rather flexible when it comes to tolerance of tint darkness variance. The laws allow for up to five percent of variance, so a window that was legally required to have a 35% VLT rating but was shown to have a 30% VLT would not automatically result in a ticket and a penalty.
 

Illinois Window Tint Violations

 
Illinois window tint laws are rather flexible and permissive so there should be no reason to press your luck with illegal window tinting. And as the fines associated with illegal window tint in Illinois can be quite high, it’s best to do your best to avoid getting a window tint ticket in Illinois.
 
Police often have a tool on hand that can test window tint VLT instantly, so you are at risk of being caught and cited for illegal window tint at all times, not only when you are having your vehicle inspected, and illegal tint can add large costs to an already unpleasant traffic stop.
 
A first window tint violation offense can be assessed at between $50 and all the way to $500 and are civil infractions. Second and subsequent window tint violations in Illinois move into the criminal realm, counted as Class C misdemeanors and assessed at anywhere between $100 and $500, and with the possibility of criminal charges involved.
 
Illinois state tint laws and penalties are subject to change any year, so check on the latest window tint laws any time you are going to have window film applied to a vehicle that is registered in the state.

 

Darkest legal tint for Sedans in Illinois

 

  • Windshield: Non-reflective window tint is allowed on the top 6 inches of the windshield.
  • Front Side windows: Must allow more than 35% of light in.
  • Back Side windows: Must allow more than 35% of light in.
  • Rear window: Must allow more than 35% of light in.

 

Darkest legal tint for SUV and Vans in Illinois

 

  • Windshield: Non-reflective window tint is allowed on the top 6 inches of the windshield.
  • Front Side windows: Must allow more than 50% of light in.
  • Back Side windows: Any darkness window tint can be used
  • Rear window: Any darkness window tint can be used