Could tinted windows land you in jail in SC? Here’s what the law says
Tinted windows can be a great way to keep the sun out of a car, but car owners looking to beat the South Carolina heat this summer should be mindful that the tint is not too dark.
Since 1992, South Carolina has regulated how much tint can be put on car windows, and was one of the first states in the country to do so. The law dictates how much Visible Light Transmission (VLT) is required through tinted windows, as well as where tint can and cannot go. Failure to comply can result in fines of $200 or more, and possibly jail time.
In South Carolina, window tints must allow for at least 27% VLT on the windshield and front side windows, which typically means it’s hard to see into the car from the outside. As VLT decreases, it becomes harder and harder to see through the windows or windshield. For example, 5% VLT would be nearly impossible to see through.
Officers use tint check cards to determine how much tint is on vehicle windows. However, Shannon Kistler of Palmetto Protection Films and Window Tinting in Myrtle Beach said that she’s rarely heard of people being pulled over or fined simply for their tint. The risk, she said, typically comes when someone is pulled over for another violation, and penalties for illegal tint are added on top.
With the lack of safety inspections on window tints in South Carolina, she said “there’s no one here to really enforce those regulations.”
The shop has only once had someone call in looking to get a lighter tint. Still, Kistler and her colleagues typically recommend a 30% VLT tint to customers, to stay on the safe side.
Nick Martin, owner of Myrtle Beach Tinting, also said that despite this law, it’s rare that he has customers come in looking to change their tint. When they do, he said, they’re usually looking to go darker.
Usually, Martin said the cars he sees driving around the city are “right around the legal mark.”
There is also no tint allowed below the manufacturer’s Automotive Safety Standard 1 line, or AS-1 line. This can be seen as a dotted line or small indicator near the top of the windshield.
On sedans, the back window must also let 27% of light in, but on SUV’s and vans, the back window and back side windows can be any level of darkness.
The law specifies that the tint on vehicles must be non-reflective, but is not specific about what this means. Tint in colors like red, amber and yellow are also not allowed, according to Tinting-Laws.com. Dual side mirrors are required if the back window is tinted.
When someone gets caught with too-dark window tints, it’s a misdemeanor with a minimum $200 fine, or 30 days in jail. Repeat offenses can result in higher penalties.
