Window Tint Laws in Washington, D.C.
The current window tint limits in Washington, D.C., verified August 2026. Where a figure is given it is a minimum visible light transmission for the glass and film measured together, so a higher percentage requires a lighter film.
What is the legal tint in Washington, D.C.?
- Front side windows
- 70% · 55% for minivans
- Back side windows
- 50% · 35% for minivans
- Rear window
- 50% · 35% for minivans
- Windshield
- Strip above the AS-1 line
- Medical exemption
- Available
Measured against the other jurisdictions that publish a numeric limit, 0 require a lighter film than Washington, D.C. does and 40 allow a darker one. The identical front-side figure applies in Alaska, California, Delaware, New Hampshire, New York.
Worth knowing: Among the steepest repeat-offense fines in the country.
Use the checker below to switch jurisdictions, or see every state and province side by side.
Verified August 2026 · General information, not legal advice — always confirm with your DMV, provincial authority, or installer before applying film.
Washington, D.C.: current tint limits
Medical exemption: available with physician certification — paperwork generally must be carried in the vehicle.
Among the steepest repeat-offense fines in the country.
Our listed installers currently cover New York and New Jersey, with more regions on the way. Browse the full directory — every shop page states the city it serves and the limits it installs to.
Washington, D.C. compared with bordering jurisdictions
Tint is enforced where you are stopped, not where it was installed, so a legal install at home can be a ticket one line over. These are the jurisdictions sharing a land border with Washington, D.C..
| Jurisdiction | Front side windows | Back side windows | Rear window | Windshield | Medical exemption |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, D.C. | 70% · 55% for minivans | 50% · 35% for minivans | 50% · 35% for minivans | Strip above the AS-1 line | Available |
| Maryland | 35% | 35% on Class A cars; unrestricted on Class M, E and B registrations | 35% on Class A cars; unrestricted on Class M, E and B registrations | No tint below the AS-1 line or 5 inches from the top, whichever is less | Available |
| Virginia | 50% | 35% · any for multipurpose vehicles and pickups | 35% · any for multipurpose vehicles and pickups | No darkening film; clear film permitted since July 2026 | Available |
Comparing more than the neighbors? The complete tables for all 50 states, D.C. and the 13 Canadian provinces and territories are on one page.
How to read these numbers
Three details trip up more drivers than the percentages themselves. First, the limit applies to the combined reading of glass plus film, and factory glass is never perfectly clear, so a film's box rating always overstates what a meter will read on the car. Second, the windshield is its own category everywhere: below the AS-1 line (the small marking near the top corner of the glass), meaningful tint is illegal across both countries, whatever the side windows allow. Third, reflectivity is regulated separately from darkness, and mirrored or metallic film fails in most jurisdictions even at a legal VLT.
Sources: state statutes and DMV publications including NY VTL §375(12-a), Cal. Vehicle Code §26708, Texas Transp. Code §547.613, La. R.S. 32:361.1 (as amended 2025), Iowa HF 766 (2026), NH RSA 266:58-a, the SAAQ's Quebec standards, and provincial highway traffic regulations, cross-checked against 2026-current legal references. Last verified August 2026. Spot an error? Email info@carwraps.net.
Washington, D.C. tint law questions, answered
What is the legal tint limit in Washington, D.C.?
Front side windows: 70% · 55% for minivans. Back side windows: 50% · 35% for minivans. Rear window: 50% · 35% for minivans. Where a figure is given it is a minimum VLT, meaning the share of light that must still pass through the glass and film together, so a higher number requires a lighter film.
Is 5% limo tint legal in Washington, D.C.?
Not on the front side windows: Washington, D.C. requires them to pass at least 70% of light, and 5% film blocks far more than that. Behind the driver the rules carry conditions, so check the back side and rear window rows above: 5% film only passes where a row allows any darkness.
What is the darkest legal tint in Washington, D.C.?
The darkest legal film on the front side windows in Washington, D.C. is 70% VLT under the headline figure; the full front-side rule above has the details. Of the shades shops commonly stock, 70% passes there, while 50%, 35%, 20% and 5% do not. Behind the driver the darkest legal shade depends on the back side and rear window rows listed above. A lower VLT number is a darker window.
Is a medical exemption for darker tint available in Washington, D.C.?
Yes. Washington, D.C. provides a medical exemption route for documented photosensitivity conditions. The paperwork has to travel in the vehicle, and an exemption attaches to the person's own car rather than to any car they drive.
What does Washington, D.C. allow on the windshield?
Strip above the AS-1 line. The windshield is regulated separately from side glass everywhere in North America, so whatever shade is legal on the doors says nothing about what is permitted up front.
Is Washington, D.C. stricter than other states on window tint?
Washington, D.C. requires 70% · 55% for minivans on the front side windows. Of the jurisdictions that publish a numeric limit, 0 require a lighter film than that and 40 allow darker. The same front-side figure applies in Alaska, California, Delaware, New Hampshire.
Is there anything unusual about the Washington, D.C. rule?
Among the steepest repeat-offense fines in the country.