Are tinted windshields and windows legal in KY? What a new state law means for drivers
Window tinting gives your vehicle a sleek look, offers privacy and can keep your car cooler during Kentucky’s sweltering summers.
There’s also no shortage of sellers and installers. What’s less easy to find is reliable, up-to-date information about what kind of tint is legal to drive with on Kentucky’s roads. What’s more, a new state law is allowing drivers to go further than before with windshield tinting, but there are limits.
Here’s what to know if you’re in the market for window tinting, including what any seller needs to give you after your purchase.
Is windshield tint legal in Kentucky?
Previously, under Kentucky Revised Statutes 189.110, drivers were not allowed to drive with “any sign, sunscreening material, product or covering attached to, or located in or upon the windshield,” with two exceptions:
A certificate or other paper required to be displayed by law
Sunscreening material along a strip at the top of the windshield, provided the material is “transparent and does not encroach upon the driver’s direct forward viewing area.” The technical term for this is the “AS-1 line,” and it’s typically about 5 inches parallel to the top of your windshield.
However, new legislation signed into law by Gov. Andy Beshear in March significantly expands the area of the windshield that can be tinted.
Senate Bill 46 adds another exception to the list. Specifically, windshield tints are allowed, as long as they permit no less than 70% of visible light to pass through the windshield. The tint must also not be red or yellow in color.
The exception in S.B. 46 is laid out as follows: “Sunscreening material or other product or material applied to the windshield, when used in conjunction with the safety glazing materials of the windshield, if it has a light transmittance of not less than 70% and is not red or yellow in color.”
Under Kentucky’s Constitution, newly enacted legislation goes into effect 90 days after the state’s General Assembly adjourns, unless it contains a delayed effective date or has an emergency clause.
The General Assembly adjourned April 15, so you can expect this law to go into effect in July.
What are Kentucky’s tinting rules for side and rear-view windows?
S.B. 46 did not affect the existing limits for tinting on side and rear-view vehicle windows.
KRS 189.110 provides that:
Side windows on either side of or adjacent to the driver’s seat must have a light transmittance of at least 35%.
For windows behind the driver, the visible light transmittance is no less than 18%.
On multipurpose passenger vehicles, “a light transmittance of at least 8% in the visible light range may be used.” The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration defines a multipurpose passenger vehicle as a one that does not have a trailer and is designed to carry up to 10 people, such as a van.
In addition, KRS 189.110 states a tint variance of 3%, either above or below the limit, is allowed. The law also states dual side mirrors are required if the vehicle’s rear window is tinted.
Installers and sellers of vehicle tints must provide customers with proper labeling showing their vehicle’s tint complies with state law. The label must be displayed on the left door jamb.
What are the penalties for driving with illegally tinted windows in KY?
According to KRS 189.990, if you drive with darker tints in violation of KRS 189.110, you could face a fine of no less than $20 and up to $100.
The violation is treated as a class B misdemeanor under the Kentucky law.
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