                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

TINTING FILMS, SIGNS, DECALS, AND STICKERS ON WINDSHIELDS, ETC.; PENALTIES (§
46.2-1052)

A. As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:
			&#8220;Front side windows&#8221; means those windows located adjacent to and
forward of the driver&#8217;s seat.
			&#8220;Holographic effect&#8221; means a picture or image that may remain
constant or change as the viewing angle is changed.
			&#8220;Multipurpose passenger vehicle&#8221; means any motor vehicle that is
(i) designed to carry no more than 10 persons and (ii) constructed either on a
truck chassis or with special features for occasional off-road use.
			&#8220;Prism effect&#8221; means a visual, iridescent, or rainbow-like effect
that separates light into various colored components that may change depending
on viewing angle.
			&#8220;Rear side windows&#8221; means those windows located to the rear of
the driver&#8217;s seat.
			&#8220;Rear window&#8221; or &#8220;rear windows&#8221; means those windows
that are located to the rear of the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle and
that are approximately parallel to the windshield.

B. Except as otherwise provided in this article or permitted by federal law, it
shall be unlawful for any person to operate any motor vehicle on a highway with
any sign, poster, colored or tinted film, sun-shading material, or other colored
material on the windshield, front or rear side windows, or rear windows of such
motor vehicle. This provision, however, shall not apply to any certificate or
other paper required by law or permitted by the Superintendent to be placed on a
motor vehicle&#8217;s windshield or window.
			The size of stickers or decals used by counties, cities, and towns in lieu of
license plates shall be in compliance with regulations promulgated by the
Superintendent. Such stickers shall be affixed on the windshield at a location
designated by the Superintendent.

C. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, whenever a motor
vehicle is equipped with a mirror on each side of such vehicle, so located as to
reflect to the driver of such vehicle a view of the highway for at least 200
feet to the rear of such vehicle, any or all of the following shall be lawful:

   1. To drive a motor vehicle equipped with one optically grooved clear plastic
   right-angle rear view lens attached to one rear window of such motor vehicle,
   not exceeding 18 inches in diameter in the case of a circular lens or not
   exceeding 11 inches by 14 inches in the case of a rectangular lens, which
   enables the driver of the motor vehicle to view below the line of sight as
   viewed through the rear window;

   2. To have affixed to the rear side windows, rear window or windows of a motor
   vehicle any sticker or stickers, regardless of size; or

   3. To drive a motor vehicle when the driver&#8217;s clear view of the highway
   through the rear window or windows is otherwise obstructed.

D. Except as provided in § 46.2-1053, but notwithstanding the foregoing
provisions of this section, no sun-shading or tinting film may be applied or
affixed to any window of a motor vehicle unless such motor vehicle is equipped
with a mirror on each side of such motor vehicle, so located as to reflect to
the driver of the vehicle a view of the highway for at least 200 feet to the
rear of such vehicle, and the sun-shading or tinting film is applied or affixed
in accordance with the following:

   1. No sun-shading or tinting films may be applied or affixed to the rear side
   windows or rear window or windows of any motor vehicle operated on the
   highways of the Commonwealth that reduce the total light transmittance of such
   window to less than 35 percent;

   2. No sun-shading or tinting films may be applied or affixed to the front side
   windows of any motor vehicle operated on the highways of the Commonwealth that
   reduce total light transmittance of such window to less than 50 percent;

   3. No sun-shading or tinting films shall be applied or affixed to any window
   of a motor vehicle that (i) have a reflectance of light exceeding 20 percent
   or (ii) produce a holographic or prism effect.
   				Any person who operates a motor vehicle on the highways of the
   Commonwealth with sun-shading or tinting films that (i) have a total light
   transmittance less than that required by subdivisions 1 and 2, (ii) have a
   reflectance of light exceeding 20 percent, or (iii) produce holographic or
   prism effects is guilty of a traffic infraction but shall not be awarded any
   demerit points by the Commissioner for the violation.
   				Any person or firm who applies or affixes to the windows of any motor
   vehicle in Virginia sun-shading or tinting films that (i) reduce the light
   transmittance to levels less than that allowed in subdivisions 1 and 2, (ii)
   have a reflectance of light exceeding 20 percent, or (iii) produce holographic
   or prism effects is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor for the first offense and
   of a Class 2 misdemeanor for any subsequent offense.

E. The Division of Purchases and Supply, pursuant to &#xA7; 2.2-1112, shall
determine the proper standards for equipment or devices used to measure light
transmittance through windows of motor vehicles. Law-enforcement officers shall
use only such equipment or devices to measure light transmittance through
windows that meet the standards established by the Division. Such measurements
made by law-enforcement officers shall be given a tolerance of minus seven
percentage points.

F. No film or darkening material may be applied on the windshield except to
replace the sunshield in the uppermost area as installed by the manufacturer of
the vehicle.

G. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the affixing to the rear window of a
motor vehicle of a single sticker no larger than 20 square inches if such
sticker is totally contained within the lower five inches of the glass of the
rear window, nor shall subsection C apply to a motor vehicle to which but one
such sticker is so affixed.

H. Nothing in this section shall prohibit applying to the rear side windows or
rear window of any multipurpose passenger vehicle or pickup truck sun-shading or
tinting films that reduce the total light transmittance of such window or
windows below 35 percent.

I. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, sun-shading
material which was applied or installed prior to July 1, 1987, in a manner and
on which windows not then in violation of Virginia law, shall continue to be
lawful, provided that it can be shown by appropriate receipts that such material
was installed prior to July 1, 1987.

J. Where a person is convicted within one year of a second or subsequent
violation of this section involving the operation of the same vehicle having a
tinted or smoked windshield, the court, in addition to any other penalty, may
order the person so convicted to remove such tinted or smoked windshield from
the vehicle.

K. The provisions of this section shall not apply to law-enforcement vehicles.

L. The provisions of this section shall not apply to the rear windows or rear
side windows of any emergency medical services vehicle used to transport
patients.

M. The provisions of subdivisions D 1, 2, and 3 shall not apply to vehicles
operated in the performance of private security duties by a security canine
handler as defined in &#xA7; 9.1-138 and licensed in accordance with &#xA7;
9.1-139.

N. The provisions of subdivision D 1 shall not apply to sight-seeing carriers as
defined in &#xA7; 46.2-2000 and contract passenger carriers as defined in &#xA7;
46.2-2000.

O. For any summons issued for a violation of this section, the court may, in its
discretion, dismiss the summons, where proof of compliance with this section is
provided to the court on or before the court date.

P. No law-enforcement officer shall stop a motor vehicle for a violation of this
section. No evidence discovered or obtained as the result of a stop in violation
of this subsection, including evidence discovered or obtained with the
operator&#8217;s consent, shall be admissible in any trial, hearing, or other
proceeding.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 46-295; 1958, c. 541, § 46.1-291; 1970, c. 16; 1978, c.
233; 1981, cc. 17, 626; 1985, c. 160; 1987, cc. 298, 315; 1988, c. 751; 1989, c.
727; 1991, cc. 100, 328; 1993, c. 808; 1994, c. 118; 1997, cc. 744, 880; 1998,
c. 133; 1999, c. 75; 2004, c. 613; 2008, c. 189; 2015, cc. 502, 503; 2017, c.
670; 2019, c. 623; 2020, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 45, 51.