Tennessee Window Tint Laws

Darkest legal tint for Cars in Tennessee

 

  • Windshield: Must allow more than 70% of light in; any darkness on AS-1 line.
  • 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 Tennessee

 

  • Windshield: Must allow more than 70% of light in; any darkness on AS-1 line.
  • 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.

 

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
 

Car window tint laws in Tennessee were first passed in the year 1990. In the time between that year and the present, many new types of window tints for vehicles have been developed. Back then, 30-plus years ago, when most people thought of car window tint it was of lower quality tint that often turned purple with age as dyes broke down and would tend to bubble, peel, and crack over time.
 
Today the best window tint for cars will last for as long as the vehicle itself. Nanoceramic window tints are made using sheets of highly durable polyester that are infused with tens of thousands of microscopic bits of ceramic materials that can reject UV and IR solar energy while still allowing in visible light and without any signal interference as you can get with metal-based tints. Ceramic window tint was developed for the aerospace industry and is now available commercially for vehicles of all types.
 
To make sure that the latest and best window tint for cars still follows Tennessee auto window tint laws passed many years back, you need to know the visible light transmission (VLT) rating of the window tint you are considering for your vehicle (or that is already applied to a car you want to register in Tennessee) and you need to know the specifics of Tennessee car tint laws to be sure you are in compliance, because in Tennessee window tint violations can lead to tickets costing over $200, so after just a couple citations you may pay more in window tint tickets costs than you did for the window tint installation in the first place.
 

Tennessee Windshield Tint Laws

 
All vehicles in Tennessee may have any darkness of window tint down to the windshield’s AS-1 line, which can usually be seen marked off near the top of the glass. If you can’t see the AS-1 marks, then use 5 inches as a guide. Below the AS-1 line, Tennessee tint law allows for a tint of 70% VLT (meaning 70% of more of sun’s visible light can pass through) on front windshields.
 
No windshield tint in Tennessee can be reflective.
 

Auto Window Tint Rules in Tennessee

 
All types of vehicles in Tennessee must follow the same window tint rules, so cars, trucks, vans, SUVs, RVs, and other automobiles can all use these guidelines. Side and rear windows (meaning the rear windshield) may all have tint as dark as 35% VLT. This is dark enough to add plenty of privacy from the view of other motorists or passersby, but does not completely obscure the view in so a law enforcement officer (or anyone else) approaching near the vehicle will be able to see inside.
 
Note that no reflective tint of any type is allowed on side or rear windows of vehicles registered in Tennessee.
 

Other Tennessee Window Tint Rules

 
All colors of window tint are technically legal in Tennessee but because reflective tint is banned, you may be limited from using certain metallic finishes of window film for cars, like silver, gold, or copper window tint.
 
Tennessee car tint law makes no provision regarding side view mirrors when tint is present, which is unlike rules in most states.
 
Window tint manufacturers and retailers in Tennessee are not required to officially certify the tints they offer in Tennessee as meeting state tint laws, but vehicle owners are required to have a sticker in between the tint and window glass on the driver’s side window that clearly shows the tint as legal. This sticker must display the name and contact information of the tint installer and have the words “complies with Tennessee Code Annotated, § 55-9-107” clearly visible.
 
Tennessee tint law does allow for medical exemptions for darker tint than permitted by regulations, so if your health is adversely threatened by UV light, you can get a doctor’s note clearing you for darker tint than the 35% VLT allowed. Keep this document in the glovebox at all times to avoid getting ticketed for dark tint when you are stopped.
 

Tennessee Window Tint Violations

 
If you are stopped for any reason by a police officer while you are driving in Tennessee your illegal window tint may lead to a ticket issued right then and there. Police can use portable digital devices to test window tint VLT (how light or dark the tint is, in other words) on the scene, so you can’t hope to get away with illegal tint.
 
Window tint violations in Tennessee can cost anywhere from $100 up to $230 or more for a single ticket, and you will get charged more money and potentially charged with a more serious violation for repeated illegal window tint offenses.
 
As window tint costs anywhere from $100 to $800 or so depending on the type of car, the type of tint, and other factors, the risks and costs associated with illegal window tint are not worth it when simply getting illegal tint removed and replaced is an affordable process.