Georgia's window tint law changed with House Bill 1161. Section 3 of the Act amends O.C.G.A. 40-8-73.1 and replaces the old flat 32% VLT rule with two numbers: 28% (plus or minus 3 percent) for the front side (door) windows, and a new 15% (plus or minus 3 percent) for the rear windshield and the rear side (door) windows. Light reflectance is capped at 20%. Under Section 8 of the Act, the Act takes effect July 1, 2026, with one exception: Section 5, which amends O.C.G.A. 40-14-6 (warning signs for automated speed enforcement), takes effect July 1, 2027. That later date does not apply to the tint section.
What Georgia's law says now
The text of HB 1161 sets these limits in O.C.G.A. 40-8-73.1:
- Front side (door) windows (the windows directly to the right and left of the driver): light transmission may not be reduced below 28%, plus or minus 3 percent.
- Rear windshield and rear side (door) windows (side windows that are not directly beside the driver): light transmission may not be reduced below 15%, plus or minus 3 percent.
- Reflectance: light reflectance may not be increased above 20% on any of these windows.
- Windshield: HB 1161 does not change the separate windshield provisions of the statute.
Under the previous statute, a single 32% limit applied to all of these windows. The bill's own text shows the change: "32" struck and "28" inserted for the front side windows, while the rear windshield is struck from that paragraph and moved into a new paragraph, together with the rear side windows, at 15%.
Which vehicles are exempt behind the driver
Under paragraph (c)(6) as revised by HB 1161, the rear windshield and rear side windows (other than the windows to the right and left of the driver) are exempt on a multipurpose passenger vehicle. The bill defines that term as a motor vehicle designed to carry ten persons or fewer that is constructed on a truck chassis or has special features for occasional off-road operation. The (c)(6) exemptions also cover school buses and other buses used for public transportation, buses or vans owned or leased by qualifying religious or nonprofit organizations, limousines owned or leased by a public or private entity, and vehicles whose windows were tinted or darkened before factory delivery or as permitted by federal law. Whether a specific vehicle counts as a multipurpose passenger vehicle depends on that definition, not on a body-style label like "SUV" or "van."
What about the July 1, 2027 date?
Some coverage and older summaries treated 2027 as the date the tint change starts. In the bill text, Section 8(a) makes the Act effective July 1, 2026 "except as provided" in Section 8(b), and Section 8(b) applies only to Section 5. Section 5 amends O.C.G.A. 40-14-6, the code section on warning signs for automated speed-enforcement devices. The tint section is Section 3. The Georgia Department of Public Safety page that describes the old rule is an older summary of the law and does not reflect HB 1161.
HB 1161 also covers other subjects, including motorists continuing to a safe location before stopping for a marked law enforcement vehicle (Section 4). The bill was signed; this post does not state an Act number or signing date because we have not verified them.
Why this matters for a quote
A shop quoting "32% all around" for a Georgia sedan is now working from the old rule. The rear windshield and rear side (door) windows have a lower floor (15%) than the front side windows (28%), so the legal film choice differs by window. Because of the plus-or-minus 3 percent language in the statute, film choices right at the line deserve extra care: check the current statute text and your meter before installing anything close to 28% or 15%.
Frequently asked questions
Has Georgia's window tint law changed? Yes. HB 1161 amended O.C.G.A. 40-8-73.1 in Section 3 of the Act. Under Section 8 of the Act, the effective date is July 1, 2026; only Section 5 (speed-camera warning signs) is delayed to July 1, 2027.
What are the new Georgia tint limits? 28% (plus or minus 3 percent) for the front side (door) windows, and 15% (plus or minus 3 percent) for the rear windshield and the rear side (door) windows. Reflectance may not exceed 20%.
Which vehicles are exempt on the windows behind the driver? Multipurpose passenger vehicles (designed for ten or fewer people, built on a truck chassis or with special off-road features), certain buses and vans, limousines, and vehicles tinted before factory delivery or as permitted by federal law are exempt under (c)(6) for the rear windshield and rear side windows.
Did the windshield tint rule change? Not in HB 1161's text. The bill revises the side-window and rear-windshield limits and leaves the windshield provisions as they were.
Is Atlanta enforcement different from the rest of Georgia? The statute is statewide — Atlanta and every other Georgia market apply the same rule. Local enforcement intensity varies by department, but the legal minimum does not vary by city.
This is general information based on the text of HB 1161 (Georgia General Assembly, 2025-2026 session), not legal advice — laws change and enforcement can vary, so confirm specifics with a licensed installer, the Georgia Department of Public Safety, or a licensed attorney before you install, buy, or contest a citation.
Related
- State-by-state window tint laws (VLT limits) - Georgia shop market + VLT summary - North Carolina window tint law changes for 2026 - Window tint percentages: what VLT, 5%, 20%, 35% mean