The short version
- Sedans can run 35% film on every side and rear window, with a 5% enforcement variance.
- SUVs and vans with factory privacy glass may add only 50% film to the front side windows.
- Only a non-reflective strip on the top 6 inches of the windshield is allowed.
- Medical exemptions need an Illinois physician's certificate renewed every 4 years and Secretary of State plates or stickers.
- A first offense is a $50 to $500 petty offense; repeat offenses are Class C misdemeanors.
Tint limits by window
Percentages are the minimum VLT allowed. A lower number is a darker tint.
| Window | Sedans & coupes | SUVs, trucks & vans |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield | Non-reflective tint on top 6 inches only | Non-reflective tint on top 6 inches only |
| Front side windows | 35% VLT (50% if any rear window is 30-35%) | 50% VLT with factory-tinted rear glass |
| Back side windows | 35% VLT if front sides are tinted | Any darkness (factory privacy glass) |
| Rear window | 35% VLT if front sides are tinted (dual side mirrors required) | Any darkness (dual side mirrors required) |
Not sure what these percentages look like? See window tint percentage examples or read about the AS-1 line.
How Illinois compares
Illinois allows 35% VLT on the front side windows of a car. That is darker than 15 states allow and lighter than 16 states permit, and 18 other states use the same limit. If you want to see what 35% VLT actually looks like on glass, compare it in our tint percentage examples.
Illinois borders Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri and Wisconsin. Film that is legal here can get you a ticket in Iowa and Wisconsin, where the front-window limit is stricter. Shops in Indiana can legally install darker film than Illinois allows, so check the meter reading if you tint across the border. Our guide to crossing state lines with tinted windows explains how out-of-state cars are treated.
Sedans vs SUVs, trucks and vans
Illinois treats multi-purpose vehicles differently. A sedan or coupe can run 35% VLT on the back side windows and 35% VLT on the rear window, while SUVs, pickups and vans can run any darkness behind the driver and any darkness on the rear glass. The front side windows are 35% VLT for cars and 50% VLT for multi-purpose vehicles. Your vehicle type is printed on the federal certification label in the driver’s door jamb.
Many SUVs and trucks leave the factory with dark privacy glass behind the driver. Because most states measure the combined reading of film plus glass, adding film over privacy glass drops the number further than the film label suggests. See how film and glass add up in our VLT guide.
Windshield tint in Illinois
The rule for the windshield is: Non-reflective tint on top 6 inches only. Measure down from the top edge of the glass. If your windshield also has an AS-1 mark, our AS-1 line guide explains how the two compare.
Choosing film that passes in Illinois
Reflectivity is regulated too: tint on the windshield strip and front side windows must be non-reflective; reflective material is banned on the windshield. The statute sets no numeric reflectivity limit for windows behind the driver.. Metallic films are the type most likely to run into reflectivity limits, while carbon and ceramic films are non-reflective. Compare them in types of window tint film.
Most installers in Illinois meter the glass before and after the install so you leave with a reading inside the limit. Ask for the meter reading on your receipt; it is useful if you are ever stopped.
Need an installer who knows these rules? Browse Illinois tint shops on TintingNearMe.com.
If you get a tint ticket
A first offense is a petty offense with a fine of $50 to $500. A second or later offense is a Class C misdemeanor with a fine of $100 to $500. Anyone convicted must bring the windows into compliance, and installing illegal tint is a separate offense. Police may stop a vehicle for suspected illegal tint.
No sticker on the glass, but medically exempt vehicles must display Secretary of State-issued distinctive plates or plate stickers. To see how Illinois stacks up, read window tint penalties by state. If you need darker film for a medical reason, the medical exemption guide covers what most states ask for.
Reflectivity and other rules
Reflectivity: Tint on the windshield strip and front side windows must be non-reflective; reflective material is banned on the windshield. The statute sets no numeric reflectivity limit for windows behind the driver.
- Front side tint limits depend on the rear windows: 35% front film is allowed only if no rear window is below 35%; 50% front film is allowed if no rear window is below 30% or the rear glass is factory-tinted.
- If the front side windows are left untinted, the statute does not set a darkness limit for windows behind the driver.
- Police meters get a 5% variance on the light transmittance limits.
- Any vehicle with a tinted or obscured rear window must have outside mirrors on both sides.
- Vehicles properly registered in another state are exempt from Illinois' windshield and side-window tint rules.
Stickers and certification
No sticker on the glass, but medically exempt vehicles must display Secretary of State-issued distinctive plates or plate stickers.
Penalties
A first offense is a petty offense with a fine of $50 to $500. A second or later offense is a Class C misdemeanor with a fine of $100 to $500. Anyone convicted must bring the windows into compliance, and installing illegal tint is a separate offense. Police may stop a vehicle for suspected illegal tint.
Compare penalties in every stateIllinois medical exemption
A person with a condition such as lupus, albinism or light sensitivity from a traumatic brain injury can get a certification signed by an Illinois-licensed physician, which must be renewed every 4 years and carried in the vehicle. The owner submits a copy to the Secretary of State and must obtain the distinctive license plates or plate stickers issued under 625 ILCS 5/3-412(k); installers may only install exempt tint on vehicles already displaying them. Conditions that sunglasses can address do not qualify.
New to exemptions? Our medical exemption guide explains which conditions usually qualify and how the paperwork works in each state.
Connects you with a licensed doctor through MyEyeRx.
Watch: Illinois tint law videos
From our YouTube channel. Laws can change after a video is published; the limits on this page reflect the law as reviewed on November 2, 2026.
Video from 2024
Video from 2024
Video from 2025
More on the Window Tint Laws YouTube channel.
Illinois tint law questions
What is the darkest legal tint in Illinois?
On a sedan with tinted front windows, every side and rear window must be at least 35% VLT. If the front side windows are left untinted, Illinois sets no limit on the windows behind the driver. SUVs and vans with factory privacy glass can keep it dark in the back, but front side film must be 50% or lighter.
Can I get a medical exemption in Illinois?
Yes. You need a certification from an Illinois-licensed physician, renewed every 4 years and kept in the vehicle, and you must file a copy with the Secretary of State and get the special license plates or plate stickers for medically tinted vehicles.
How much is a tint ticket in Illinois?
A first offense is a petty offense with a $50 to $500 fine. A second or later offense is a Class C misdemeanor with a $100 to $500 fine, and you must fix the tint.
Are the rules different for SUVs in Illinois?
Illinois uses one rule for all vehicles, but it ties front tint to the rear glass. Most SUVs and vans have factory-tinted rear glass, so their front side windows can only be 50% VLT or lighter.
Is reflective tint legal in Illinois?
No reflective film is allowed on the windshield, and front side window film must be non-reflective. The law sets no numeric reflectivity limit for windows behind the driver.
Sources and how we check
Governing law: 625 ILCS 5/12-503 (Illinois Vehicle Code; last amended by P.A. 103-32, eff. Jan. 1, 2024); 625 ILCS 5/3-412(k)
- 625 ILCS 5/12-503, Windshields must be unobstructed
- Illinois Public Act 103-0032
- Are tinted vehicle windshields and windows legal in Illinois? (news summary)
Tint laws change, and police and inspection stations can interpret them differently. Confirm with the Illinois DMV or state police before you tint. Found something out of date? Tell us.