Darkest legal tint for Sedans in Louisiana

Windshield: Non-reflective window tint is allowed above the manufacturer’s AS-1 line or top 5 inches
Front Side windows: Must allow more than 40% of light in
Back Side windows: Must allow more than 25% of light in
Rear window: Must allow more than 12% of light in

Darkest legal tint for SUV and Vans in Louisiana

Windshield: Non-reflective window tint is allowed above the manufacturer’s AS-1 line or top 5 inches
Front Side windows: Must allow more than 40% 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.

Automobile window tint is perhaps the best aftermarket upgrade you can make to a vehicle in Louisiana. Car tinting in this warm, sunny southern state keeps your vehicle cooler and more comfortable to operate even on the hottest days by blocking solar heat and it reduces the damaging effects of UV light on the cabin’s interior, stopping the fading and cracking and discoloration that can greatly damage the looks of the car and that reduce its resale value. In most cases, window tint for cars in Louisiana will pay for itself many times over in preserved value. But as tickets for window tint violations in Louisiana quickly escalate in cost, soon reaching $350 per offense, it’s not worth having illegal window tint in Louisiana, a state where window tint laws are rather complex and easy to misunderstand.

Critical to knowing your window tint is legal in Louisiana is understanding about VLT percentage, or visible light transmission percent, which is simply how much visible light tinted glass allows to pass through. Contrary to what you might expect, small numbers mean dark tint: the lower the VLT rating, the less light gets through and thus the more tinted (darker, e.g.) the window. So 5% VLT tint, which is the dark privacy tint commonly seen on limousines and referred to as limo tint, is quite dark, while 9%% VLT tint is almost clear.

Note that even highly transparent window tint can block 99% of the sun’s damaging UV light, can reduce interior heat, and can even reduce glare – don’t think you need dark privacy tint in order to get the primary benefits if window tint for vehicles.

And if you do want a darker car window tint in Louisiana, do take care to follow the rules.

Windshield Window Tint Laws in Louisiana

The regulations for windshield window tinting in Louisiana are the same for all types of privately owned vehicles, so cars, trucks, SUVs, and vans can all use this as a reference: the law allows for non-reflective window tint placed above the windshield’s AS-1 line, which is a manufacturer demarcated strip of glass near the top of the windshield. If no AS-1 line is visible, then use five inches as a reference.

Window Tint for Cars in Louisiana

As in most states, in Louisiana cars are subject to different window tint restrictions than are larger vehicles like trucks, vans, and SUVs, so we will deal with cars (sedans, coupes, and non-SUV hatchbacks) separately. And as each window of a car is also subject to different tint laws, we’ll discuss those one by one as well.

Louisiana window tint laws allow for tint as dark as 40% VLT on the front side windows, and with a reflectivity of not more than 20%.

A car’s rear side windows can be tinted down to 25% darkness, which adds plenty of privacy against unwanted views from any distance away from the car, but does not fully obscure the view in.

In Louisiana, a car’s rear window, meaning the rear windshield, can be tinted down to a very dark 12% VLT or greater.

Window Tint for Trucks, Vans, and SUVs in Louisiana

As with cars, the front side windows of vans, trucks, and SUVs in Louisiana may only be tinted down to a darkness of 40% VLT, but there is much more latitude with rear windows.

Larger vehicles may have rear side window tint of any darkness, and the same goes for the rear windshield. This allows for total privacy and is ideal for livery companies, for people concerned about privacy for their families, and simply because it allows for lots of customization of the vehicles’ looks.

This lenience does not extend to reflectivity, however: no window on any vehicle registered in Louisiana may be more than 20% reflective.

Louisiana Window Tint Restrictions and Exemptions

Window tint regulations were enacted in Louisiana in the year 1993 and they have changed several times in the years since first being put in place, so it’s a good idea to check the latest rules from time to time to ensure your tint is still compliant and of course to be sure any new tint you are considering is legal.

There are no rules regarding side view mirrors when you have tinted windows in Louisiana, but as a general rule it’s good idea to make sure you have properly working side view mirrors if you are reducing the clarity of the view through rear windows in any way.

While most window tint colors are allowed under Louisiana state law, the regulations do ban red and amber shades of tint. Manufactures selling and installers working with car window tint in Louisiana must certify that the film they offer is permissible in the state, and you are required to have a sticker identifying your vehicle window tint as legal placed between the window film and glass on the front driver’s side window.

There are no medical exemptions permitted for darker window tint under Louisiana state law, but the 40% VLT tint permitted should be enough tinting to ameliorate issues caused to the skin or eyes of anyone extra sensitive to sunlight.

Window Tint Violations in Louisiana

Illegal window tint in Louisiana is considered a civil offence, not a criminal issue, but the penalties can still be quite harsh. A first offense will be met with a $150 ticket. A second ticket for illegal window tint in Louisiana will cost you $250. And a third violation will come with a $350 ticket, the price of any subsequent infractions as well.

At that rate, just a few window tint tickets will end up costing you more than just getting legal window tint installed on your vehicle in the first place. As officers can use a portable device to check visible light transmission at any time, don’t think you’ll get away with illegal tint until it’s inspection time: your illegal window tint could become an issue at any time, even if you are stopped for a totally different reason.

Darkest legal tint for Sedans in Louisiana

Windshield: Non-reflective window tint is allowed above the manufacturer’s AS-1 line or top 5 inches
Front Side windows: Must allow more than 40% of light in
Back Side windows: Must allow more than 25% of light in
Rear window: Must allow more than 12% of light in

Darkest legal tint for SUV and Vans in Louisiana

Windshield: Non-reflective window tint is allowed above the manufacturer’s AS-1 line or top 5 inches
Front Side windows: Must allow more than 40% of light in
Back Side windows: Any darkness window tint can be used
Rear window: Any darkness window tint can be used