NORTH CAROLINA TINT LAWS 2023 (NC)
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NC Tint Laws
North Carolina Tint Law – Legal Tint Limit For Passenger Vehicles
Here are the key details on North Carolina’s window tint laws for passenger vehicles in 2023:
- Front Windshield: Non-reflective tint is allowed above the manufacturer’s AS-1 line or top 5 inches. The front windshield can only have a sunscreening device along the top 5 inches. No other tinting is allowed.
- Front seat side windows: up to 32% tint darkness allowed Front side windows must allow at least 35% light transmission, restricting tint to 32% or lighter.
- Back seat side windows: up to 32% tint darkness allowed
- Rear window: up to 32% tint darkness allowed
- Medical exemptions permit darker tint on front side windows with a doctor’s note.
- Mirrored or reflective tints are prohibited on all windows. Non-reflective, dye-based films are allowed.
- Violating the front window restrictions can result in a $50 fine for a first offense.
- North Carolina prohibits local counties and cities from enacting different tint laws.
In summary, North Carolina allows 32% tint on rear windows and limits front-side window tint to 32% or lighter VLT for passenger vehicles in 2023. The top 5 inches of the front windshield may be tinted.
On this page, we have done our best to collect all of the legal information necessary about the 2023 North Carolina tint laws, including how dark the tint is allowed to be and how reflective the tint is allowed to be in North Carolina. Aside from the basics, like tint percentages, there are also additional car window tinting rules and regulations in North Carolina that we have made available.
North Carolina window tint law was first put into place in 2001 with North Carolina being the 37th of the 50 states to enact these tinting laws.
North Carolina Tint Laws: What does VLT Mean
The percentage of light that a window tint film allows to pass through your car windows is called the VLT (Visible Light Transmission), and each state has different legal allowable limits. The amount of light allowed to pass through your film and glass in North Carolina is very specific to the state and is different for Passenger Vehicles and Multi-Purpose Vehicles.
A HIGHER VLT means that more light is allowed to pass through the window tint film.
Example: a 75% tint will allow 75% of the light to pass through whereas a 5% tint will only allow 5% of the light to pass through, making the 5% tint a much darker film.
HOW MUCH DOES CAR WINDOW TINTING COST? The cost of tinting your car windows can be very affordable. If you want to learn how much it costs to tint your car, click here.
North Carolina Tint Law – Legal Tint Limit For Multi-Purpose Vehicles
- Front Windshield: Non-reflective tint is allowed above the manufacturer’s AS-1 line or top 5 inches.
- Front seat side windows: up to 35% tint darkness allowed
- Back seat side windows: Any tint darkness can be used
- Rear window: Any tint darkness can be used
Want to D-I-Y?
How to tint car windows. To D-I-Y, check out how to tint car windows yourself here.
We have created an article discussing everything you need to know about VLT and Window Tint Percentages for your reference. If you want to learn the difference between the tint levels and preview the tint percentages we recommend you check it out.
Other North Carolina Window Tint law Rules And Regulations:
North Carolina has a few other important things that you will need to consider regarding window tinting and we recommend that you check them out before deciding whether or not you tint your windows:
- Do I have to have side mirrors in North Carolina? Dual side mirrors are required only if back window is tinted.
- Is colored tint illegal in North Carolina? All tint colors except Red, Amber and Yellow are allowed in North Carolina.
- What are the Window Tint Certification Rules in North Carolina? Manufacturers of film do NOT need to certify the film they sell in North Carolina.
- Do I need a certified sticker from the company installing my window tint in North Carolina? No sticker to identify legal tinting is required.
- Are there Medical Exemptions in North Carolina for Window Tint? North Carolina allows medical exemptions for special tint. For more details about the specific terms of the exemption, consult your state law.
Always remember that North Carolina tint laws can change on a daily basis and these rules and regulations may be interpreted differently on a city to city or county to county basis. We recommend double-checking the information contained on this website with your local DMV or local law enforcement agencies for accuracy. This information relating to window tint laws in North Carolina was last updated on January 5th, 2023. Tinting laws in North Carolina were enacted in 2001. In case any of our info provided is not up to date or correct be sure to contact us so we can fix it. Thanks!
North Carolina Window Tint Medical Exemption References
North Carolina allows windshield tint with 70% VLT under medical waivers. A permit can be issued by N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles Medical Review Program for 2 to 5 years. A medical exception sticker must be displayed in the lower left-hand corner of the rear window. Failure to display the sticker is punishable by a $200 fine.
For more information regarding window tint medical exemptions in _____ you can check out this resource:
- North Carolina Department of Transportation: Window tinting
- North Carolina Department of Transportation: Tinted window waiver application form (.pdf file)
Want a complete guide for medical exemptions for tinted windows in all 50 states?
Click this button to be taken to a PDF file that will help you to understand the medical exemptions in all 50 states
State of North Carolina Information
North Carolina is a state in the Southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west, Virginia to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. North Carolina is the 28th most extensive and the 10th most populous of the 50 United States.
What is the Capital of North Carolina
The capital of North Carolina is Raleigh
What is the population of North Carolina
The population of North Carolina is 10,488,084 according to Wikipedia as of 2019.
What is the area of North Carolina
The area of North Carolina is 53,819 square miles and ranks as the 28th largest state in the United States!
North Carolina Wikipedia Page
Check out North Carolina’s Wikipedia page to learn all kinds of cool facts about the state!
Official North Carolina state Website
If you want to learn more about the laws in North Carolina check out their official Website Here
What are the main cities located in North Carolina?
Raleigh, Charlotte, Asheville, Greensboro, Wilmington, Winston-Salem, Fayetteville, Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill, Greenville, New Bern, High Point, Boone, Mooresville, Jacksonville, Concord, Apex, Gastonia, Lizard Lick, Carolina Beach, Hickory, Southport, Hendersonville, Rocky Mount, Huntersville, Kitty Hawk, Goldsboro, Blowing Rock, Emerald Isle, Wake Forest, Burlington, Kill Devil Hills, Morrisville, Wrightsville Beach, Cherokee, Morehead City, Hot Springs, Thomasville, Mount Airy, Salisbury, Oak Island, Statesville, Elizabeth City, Holly Springs, Wilson, Waynesville, Nags Head, Fuquay-Varina, Beaufort
What are the main counties located in North Carolina?
Alamance, Cumberland, Johnston, Randolph, Alexander, Currituck, Jones, Richmond, Alleghany, Dare, Lee, Robeson, Anson, Davidson, Lenoir, Rockingham, Ashe, Davie, Lincoln, Rowan, Avery, Duplin, Macon, Rutherford, Beaufort, Durham, Madison, Sampson, Bertie, Edgecombe, Martin, Scotland, Bladen, Forsyth, Mcdowell, Stanly, Brunswick, Franklin, Mecklenburg, Stokes, Buncombe, Gaston, Mitchell, Surry, Burke, Gates, Montgomery, Swain, Cabarrus, Graham, Moore, Transylvania, Caldwell, Granville, Nash, Tyrrell, Camden, Greene, New Hanover, Union, Carteret, Guilford, Northampton, Vance, Caswell, Halifax, Onslow, Wake, Catawba, Harnett, Orange, Warren, Chatham, Haywood, Pamlico, Washington, Cherokee, Henderson, Pasquotank, Watauga, Chowan, Hertford, Pender, Wayne, Clay, Hoke, Perquimans, Wilkes, Cleveland, Hyde, Person, Wilson, Columbus, Iredell, Pitt, Yadkin, Craven, Jackson, Polk, Yancey
