NC Window Tint Law Change 2025: What Every Driver Needs to Know

The NC window tint law change marks one of the most significant updates to North Carolina window tint laws in years.

Beginning December 1, 2025, vehicle owners and drivers will experience new responsibilities and changes to annual inspections.

This update simplifies certain procedures, but it also places new obligations on drivers to ensure safety and compliance.

What Is the NC Window Tint Law Change?

The most important North Carolina tint law update eliminates the inspection requirement for tinted windows.

Under the prior system, a licensed inspection mechanic used a light meter to test whether after-market tint met the legal tint limit in NC.

That procedure will no longer be part of the annual safety inspection.

At the same time, the new law requires that drivers and passengers roll down their tinted windows when approached by law enforcement.

This change is designed to improve visibility and safety during traffic stops.

The General Assembly passed this law for two main reasons:

Lawmakers wanted to simplify the annual safety inspection process by removing tint checks.
They wanted to create a clear rule that improves officer safety during traffic stops. A rolled-down window eliminates uncertainty about who is inside a vehicle with a dark tint.

The update also ends the $10 inspection fee previously charged for testing tinted windows.

Drivers save time and money, but must now take extra responsibility for ensuring their tint complies with NC tint laws.

The North Carolina window tint law does not change the actual limits on tint darkness or reflectivity.

Vehicle owners must still comply with the existing standards set under G.S. 20-127.

Drivers who exceed those limits can still face citations, fines, and orders to remove unlawful tint.

Medical exemptions remain available for individuals with qualifying conditions.

Though those drivers must still follow the roll-down requirement when approached by law enforcement.

Many drivers ask: “What is the legal tint in NC?”

The answer depends on the window location:

Windshield: Only the top five inches (above the AS-1 line) may be tinted.
Front side windows: Must allow at least 35% of light to pass through.
Back side windows and rear window: Same 35% light transmission standard applies, unless the vehicle qualifies as a multipurpose passenger vehicle (SUV or van).
Reflectivity: Tint may not exceed 20% reflectivity.
Colors: Red, amber, and yellow tints are prohibited.

These limits define the legal window tint in NC.

They remain unchanged despite the NC window tint law change for 2025.

North Carolina allows drivers with certain medical conditions to apply for a medical exemption permit.

This permit authorizes a darker tint than normally allowed.

However, even with a medical exemption, drivers must roll down tinted windows when law enforcement officers approach.

Failure to comply with window tint laws in NC can lead to citations, fines, and orders to remove the tint.

Non-compliance with the new roll-down requirement could escalate a routine stop.

Drivers who knowingly ignore the law risk both penalties and safety concerns.

Test your tint with a professional meter to ensure it meets the NC legal tint limit.
Keep proof of a medical exemption in your vehicle if applicable.
Always roll down windows during traffic stops, even if your tint is legal.
Work with a trusted tint installer who understands North Carolina window tint laws.