Wondering if your car’s tint is legal in Kentucky? From how dark your windows are to how shiny they look, each rule matters. If you’re in Kentucky, finding the right auto window tint service in Mount Washington, Shepherdsville or beyond can help ensure your tint is both stylish and street-legal.

Let’s walk through Kentucky’s window tint laws step by step in easy, friendly terms.

What Is VLT (Visible Light Transmission)?

VLT tells how much light passes through your tinted windows. Lower percentages mean darker tint.

Here’s what Kentucky allows:

Windshield: Only non-reflective tint above the AS‑1 line (about 5 inches from the top), similar to a sun strip.
Front side windows: Must allow at least 35% of light inside.

What About Rear Windows?

Kentucky treats sedans and other vehicles differently:

Sedans: Rear side and rear windows must let in at least 18% VLT.
SUVs, vans, and pickups: Those can go darker—minimum 8% VLT.

There’s also a small margin of error—Kentucky allows a 3% variance. This means a film showing 32% VLT on a front window still meets the 35% minimum.

How Much Shine Is Okay?

Reflective tints are limited, too:

Front side windows: Up to 25% reflectivity
Rear side windows: Up to 25% reflectivity

No mirrored or shiny tint is allowed on the windshield or rear glass.

Medical Exemptions? Not Here

You may have heard some states allow darker tint for medical reasons. In Kentucky, that’s not the case. No exemptions are permitted. Everyone must follow the same rules.

Sticker & Label Requirements

After tinted windows are installed, your film needs to have:

A state-certified label from the film maker
A sticker placed inside the driver’s side door jamb that shows VLT percentage and certification info.

That sticker proves your tint is legal. Keep it in place anytime you're driving in Kentucky.

What Happens If You Don’t Follow the Rules?

Tint violations in Kentucky are serious. It’s a Class B misdemeanor, which could result in:

A fine up to about $250
Up to 90-day jail term for repeated violations

It’s not just a ticket—non-compliance could become a bigger problem sooner than you expect.

How to Stay Legal with Tint

If you’re near Mount Washington and searching for auto window tinting service Mount Washington, here’s how a good shop helps:

Use a meter to measure existing window tint
Recommend legal tint levels for front and rear windows
Remove illegal film safely if needed
Install certified tint and place the required sticker
Explain how Kentucky’s tint rules apply to your vehicle

Working with a trusted provider makes the process smooth and worry-free.

What to Ask Your Tint Installer

Here’s a quick checklist to discuss with your installer:

Do they use Kentucky-certified film?
Are they aware of the 35%, 18%, or 8% VLT rules?
Do they apply the driver's side sticker properly?
Do they understand the 3% variance rule?
Can they explain reflectivity limits clearly?

If the installer knows these rules inside out, you can trust the job will be done right.

Kentucky Tint Law in a Nutshell

Window Type Sedan Min VLT SUV/Van Min VLT Reflectivity Cap

Front side windows 35% 35% 25%

Rear side windows 18% 8% 25%

Rear windshield 18% 8% 25%

Windshield top strip AS‑1 line AS‑1 line Non-reflective only

No medical exemptions
Sticker must be inside the driver's door jamb
Illegal tint may result in fines or jail time

Why It Matters

Moving to Kentucky or just passing through? Legal tint matters once your vehicle is registered in this state. Even if your old tint was fine in another state, you must follow Kentucky rules.

Getting a citation or failing inspection can be costly and stressful. Finding a local auto window tint service in Mount Washington, or beyond in Kentucky, helps you avoid those issues.

Why River City Film Makes Legal Tinting Easy

When Kentucky law sets the rules, River City Film helps you follow them—without sacrificing style or comfort. They don’t just tint windows; they bring confidence to the job.

Need the legal VLT percentages? They’ve got it covered.

Wondering if your current film needs to be replaced? They’ll check it for you.

Missing that certification sticker? They make sure it’s applied right, every time.

River City Film works with the films allowed by Kentucky guidelines; think heat control, glare reduction, and UV protection without going too dark or shiny. You get a clean finish that holds up over time and meets local standards.

In short, they take the guesswork out of tinting. So, if you're in Mount Washington or nearby and want your windows to stay cool and compliant, you know who to call.