A Brief Overview of Window Tinting Law in Louisiana
In broad terms, Louisiana’s window tint laws are in line with many of the surrounding states. Visibility through tint is a primary concern, and the specific legal limits are spelled out in the statutes. Furthermore, Louisiana provides some exemptions for individuals based on the nature of their condition. For law enforcement though, these regulations will almost always apply. On a standard windshield, no tint is allowed to be below the AS-1 line, which is located at the manufacturer’s discretion. However, tint is permissible above the AS-1 line in a band that does not exceed five inches from the top of the window. Side windows are allowed to have a tint that allows 40 percent visible light transmission. The rear windows can have any percentage of tint, but must allow for visible light transmission of 12 percent or more . The front and back windows must allow for a minimum light reflectance of 20 percent, while only the back windows need to adhere to the requirements for reflectance on the rear. The rear windows may be tinted, but must again allow for a visible light transmittance of 12 percent or greater. For an individual who has a medically-approved reason for requiring darker window tint, evidence of that medical condition must be provided to police. The tint exemption must be approved by the state health officer, a doctor of osteopathy or a medical doctor. For those conditions such as albinism, ocular albinism, photosensitive eczema, lupus, porphyria and solar urticaria, people are able to tint all of the windows on their vehicle so they may only allow 12 percent or greater of visible light transmission through. Driving a vehicle with tinted windows without this certification will be in violation of Louisiana’s window tint laws.
Legally Permitted Tint Darkness on Windshields, Side Windows and Rear Windows
Front Windshield: The tint darkness on the windshield cannot exceed 40% on a sedan, SUV, van, or pickup truck. This applies to all classes of vehicles and no manufacturer label is required. However, only a dark upper band covering no more than one-third of the window is permitted.
Front Passenger Window: The tint darkness cannot exceed 25% on a sedan, SUV, van, or pickup truck. This applies to all classes of vehicles and no manufacturer label is required.
Front Drivers Window: The tint darkness cannot exceed 25% on a sedan, SUV, van, or pickup truck. This applies to all classes of vehicles and no manufacturer label is required.
Back Passenger Window: The tint darkness cannot exceed 12% on a sedan, SUV, van, or pickup truck. This applies to all classes of vehicles and no manufacturer label is required.
Back Drivers Window: The tint darkness cannot exceed 25% on a sedan, SUV, van, or pickup truck. This applies to all classes of vehicles and no manufacturer label is required.
Rear Window Tint: The tint darkness cannot exceed 12%. Tint darkness is measured by the amount of visible light allowed through the film and is usually expressed in terms of percentages. The tint darkness on the window must not exceed 12% on a sedan, SUV, van, or pickup truck. This applies to all classes of vehicles and no manufacturer label is required.
Windshield Banner: The tint darkness cannot exceed 40%. The tint darkness on the banner cannot exceed 40%. The tint darkness is measured by the amount of visible light allowed through the film and is usually expressed in terms of percentages. The written certification by the installer of the tinted window must be kept in the vehicle at all times.
Vehicles Manufacturers with Dark Windows: Some cars and SUVs come standard with tinted windows that already exceed the maximum percentage allowed under Louisiana tint laws. In these cases, the owner is responsible for ensuring that the extra tint is removed and that the remaining tint complies with the law. Otherwise, they may face a ticket and be forced to pay lots of fine money just because some car company slapped some cool dark windows onto the vehicle. These are called vehicles with factory laminated side windows and are permitted due to medical necessity.
Exemptions and Special Conditions
In certain situations, exceptions to the above-mentioned rules can be made. Medical exemptions for darker and more reflective tints may be granted in accordance with La. R.S. 32:303.5 (B). To be eligible, however, you must have a signed document from an ophthalmologist or optometrist that certifies that you are required to have darkly tinted windows because your condition is worsened by the conditions of sun exposure. Child safety exceptions also apply, as well as special use windows that can be tinted to the higher percentages to protect valuables from theft or to keep children and seniors from getting burned.
Applications for all special exceptions can be obtained from the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections (DPS) website. Be aware that even if you do receive an exemption, you will still be required to pay the fees associated with tint permits and inspections.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Violating Louisiana’s window tint laws can carry stiff penalties. As for the exact fines, they tend to vary across the state. Most law enforcement agencies will issue a standard ticket during a legal infraction, resulting in a $150 ticket. If your vehicle passes inspection, the law does not allow law enforcement to issue a citation at this point. However, during inspection, the lab tests exceed the visible light transmittance percentage. If you have five percent tint and the inspection report shows that standard is not reached, then the law enforcement can issue a ticket for a tint infraction. If you ignore the ticket and fail to pay the fine, a warrant can be issued for your arrest. In rare cases, an officer may have you remove the tint on the side or rear window or windshields. Take a few things into consideration. First, safely remove the tint. If you cannot, most tint companies charge to perform the tint removal. Airline Tint & Fabricated Glass can help you remove the tint. Removing tint can be time-consuming and a little expensive. Thus, you could have to pay some extra money or risk having your auto tinted again. Second, an officer may issue a "fix-it" ticket on the spot until you get it resolved within seven days . You can drive the car legally with a "fix-it" ticket, as long as the inspection sticker is present. Third, an officer may cut the tint. In this situation, you will need to head to the nearest tint company to have them replace the tint immediately, which will cost you money. Failing to comply with the law, regarding window tint, does not bar you from getting a vehicle inspection sticker. This is a problem, considering manufacturers, dealerships and private sellers are not required by state law to inspect the vehicles when selling. It will not matter if you get the inspection sticker. The police will issue a ticket every time you get stopped. By law, the police officer will note the violation in his or her computer system. This may lead to a warning, when pulled over again. Most law enforcement agencies will give you a warning on rare occasions. You must comply with the tint law within seven days. They record these details on their computers and require a copy of the receipt, to prove the tint violator did have the tint removed. In most cases, they will erase the initial offense. If a tint ticket comes up a second time, then a fine is issued and a misdemeanor charge is pressed. If you had received an initial warning and still has not complied, then you could face the misdemeanor.
How to Select compliant Window Tint in Louisiana
The vehicle owners must do a few things when picking window tint that conforms to the Louisiana rules. That’s true for those who try to put their tints on without having them bonded to the windows, as the closing off of that bond maybe where the Louisiana tinting law is most often broken. On the flip side, for those who hire pros to do the work, it’s good to talk with the shop about your commercial tint options to make sure they’re completely on the up and up.
The Louisiana tinting law only requires that the tint be non-reflective above the AS-1 line or above the manufacturer’s dot. Yet, it also requires that you be able to see through your window into the car through the tint. So, for example, if your tint is 15% tinted all over your car but it’s all just one level we can almost guarantee you’re going to get called out by law enforcement, particularly if you have dark window visors above the AS-1 line.
We recommend regular window tint here, and then if you want to tint all of the windows so they look uniform (such as for an aftermarket tint package on a car that doesn’t come tinted at all) do so with an easier to see through tint on those windows.
Commonly Asked Questions about Window Tinting in Louisiana
The number one question we get asked about tint is how do I know how dark is legal? The answer to this comes right out of the RS 32: 303.3 window tint law. Simply put, the front window (windshield) must have a minimum NTMI of 20% on the driver and passenger side window, and an NTMI of 12% on the rear window. The rear window can’t have a higher NTMI than 12%. All the other windows, besides the windows mentioned above, can’t have an NTMI darker than 35%. When the law says "windows", this can be defined as the glass itself (octane or factory tint), or window film (aftermarket tint). Louisiana law has no maximum allowable amount of darkness for roof windows, sunroofs or moonroofs . The law authorizes law enforcement officers to require motorists to produce a certificate of compliance from the manufacturer or distributor at any time. This is basically a sticker that goes inside the vehicle on the driver’s door jam. You can tint your vehicle without it, but if you pass a CHP checkpoint or are pulled over by local law enforcement they cannot see if you have the proper tint. In this case, they would write you a ticket, and send you somewhere to have the windows tested for legal tint. Not only does this cost you time to contest the ticket, but it could also cost you money to have your tint removed if it fails the test. The best solution is to get your vehicle tinted legally with a professional automotive window tinting company that issues the sticker/certificate as part of their service.
