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In Delaware, tint or other material on the front side windows and side wings must have a visible light transmission of 50% or greater (21 Del. C. § 4313(c)(1), effective August 17, 2026); no tolerance is stated. Any darkness is allowed on the side windows behind the driver and the rear window ((c)(2)). Transparent tint may run along the windshield's top edge if it does not encroach on the AS-1 portion ((b)).
Source: 21 Del. C. § 4313; 21 Del. C. § 4313A (commercial window tinting); 21 Del. C. § 4315(d), (g) (penalties); 85 Del. Laws c. 425 (SS 1 for SB 255, signed and effective 8/17/26), bill detail; SS 1 for SB 255, bill text and synopsis; 2 DE Admin. Code 2277, Approved Tinting for Side Windows (not updated for the 2026 amendment); Delaware DMV Form MV495, Application for Medical Waiver of Tinted Window Law (Revised 3/98). Summary last checked against these sources on September 28, 2026.
| Window | Rule |
|---|---|
| Windshield | Window tint or other material may be applied along the top edge of the windshield if it is transparent and does not encroach on the AS-1 portion of the windshield as provided under FMVSS 205, 49 C.F.R. § 571.205 (§ 4313(b)). Otherwise, the windshield must meet FMVSS 205 as in effect when the vehicle was made (§ 4313(a)). The statute gives no measurement in inches. Regulation 2277 § 3.1.1 still recites the 1990 version of § 4313. It adds that on older vehicles with no AS-1 mark, the material may not extend more than five inches down from the top of the windshield. |
| Front side windows | Window tint or other material on the side windows to the immediate right and left of the driver, and on side wings forward of the driver, must have a visible light transmission of 50% or greater (§ 4313(c)(1)). The statute states the 50% figure for the tint or other material. It states no tolerance and does not say whether the reading includes the glass. 85 Del. Laws c. 425 set this figure effective August 17, 2026. The Act's synopsis says the earlier requirement was 70% or greater; the former statute text itself referred to FMVSS 205. Regulation 2277 § 3.1.2 still states the old 70% figure for film and glass together, within a normal manufacturer's tolerance of plus or minus 3%. This page follows the amended statute. |
| Rear side windows | Window tint or other material having a visible light transmission of 0% or greater may be applied to the side windows behind the driver (§ 4313(c)(2)), so the statute sets no darkness limit for them. The rule is the same for every vehicle type; the statute does not distinguish sedans from SUVs, trucks or vans. |
| Rear window | The same 0%-or-greater rule applies to the rear window (§ 4313(c)(2)). Regulation 2277 allows rear-window tint if the vehicle has outside mirrors on both the left and right sides (§ 3.1.3). It also says rear-window brake lights on 1986 and later vehicles must be clear of any tint material (§ 3.1.4). |
| Reflectance and color | No reflectance or color limit was found in § 4313 or Regulation 2277 as read for this page; the statute's only numeric test is visible light transmission. |
| Installers | A person who installs window tinting material in motor vehicles as part of a commercial activity may not do so in violation of § 4313 (§ 4313A(a)). A violation carries a fine of $100 to $500. If a fee was charged, the installer must pay the vehicle owner restitution equal to the installation fee (§ 4313A(b)). |
VLT (visible light transmission) is the percentage of visible light that passes through a window or film; a higher number means lighter tint. Most state limits are measured on the finished window (glass and film together). Where a rule is stated for the film itself, the table says so. Some states also limit reflectance, the share of light bounced back off the surface (a mirror-like look).
Section 4313 covers operating a motor vehicle on a public highway, road or street in Delaware, and draws no distinction between sedans, SUVs, trucks or vans. It does not apply to a vehicle operated by a law-enforcement officer as defined in § 222 of Title 11 (subsection (f)). It also does not apply to anodized glass correctly installed in the windshield and windows of an antique motor vehicle or street rod, or of a motor vehicle validly insured under an antique, classic or street rod policy that covers it (subsection (e)). Regulation 2277 § 3.1.5 says the law applies to all motor vehicles operated on Delaware roads and highways, regardless of where they are registered.
Under § 4313(d), a person is not in violation if the person possesses a statement signed by a licensed practitioner of medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine, or optometry. The statement must verify that tinted windows are medically necessary for the owner or usual operator of the vehicle. The statute's text requires only possession of that signed statement and does not name particular windows or a darkness level. The Division of Motor Vehicles form MV495 (Revised 3/98, before the 2026 amendment) is an Application for Medical Waiver of Tinted Window Law. On it, the doctor certifies that tinted side windows to the immediate right and left of the driver are medically required, and a DMV representative signs an approval line. The form says the waiver must be in the registered owner's or usual operator's name, is valid only in Delaware and must be kept in the vehicle. A new form must be completed when the person acquires a new vehicle.
The operator, owner or custodian of a motor vehicle operated in violation of §§ 4312-4316 faces a fine of $28.75 to $100 (§ 4315(d)). Where no collision has occurred, a § 4313 violation may be dismissed before trial if the defendant shows that repairs have brought the vehicle into compliance (§ 4315(g)). A person who commercially installs tint in violation of § 4313 is fined $100 to $500. If a fee was charged, the installer must pay the vehicle owner restitution of that fee (§ 4313A(b)). Court costs and other assessments are not covered here.
Window tint or other material on the front side windows and front side wings must have a visible light transmission of 50% or greater (21 Del. C. § 4313(c)(1)). Tint with a visible light transmission of 0% or greater, meaning any darkness, may be applied to the side windows behind the driver and the rear window ((c)(2)). On the windshield, transparent tint may be applied along the top edge if it does not encroach on the AS-1 portion ((b)). Otherwise, the windshield must meet federal standard FMVSS 205 ((a)).
Yes. Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 255 (85 Del. Laws c. 425) was signed and took effect on August 17, 2026. Its synopsis says the front side windows previously needed a visible light transmission of 70% or greater; the amended § 4313(c)(1) sets 50% or greater. The synopsis also says there is no visible light transmission requirement for the side windows behind the driver or the rear window. Regulation 2277, as published on the state regulations site when this page was checked, still states the old 70% figure; this page follows the amended statute.
Section 4313(c)(2) allows tint or other material with a visible light transmission of 0% or greater on the side windows behind the driver and the rear window. It applies the same way to every vehicle type. Regulation 2277 allows rear-window tint if the vehicle has outside mirrors on both sides (§ 3.1.3). It also says rear-window brake lights on 1986 and later vehicles must be clear of tint (§ 3.1.4).
Yes. Under § 4313(d), a person is not in violation if the person possesses a statement signed by a licensed practitioner of medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine, or optometry. The statement must verify that tinted windows are medically necessary for the owner or usual operator. On DMV form MV495, the Application for Medical Waiver of Tinted Window Law, the doctor certifies the need. The form says the waiver is valid only in Delaware and must be kept in the vehicle, and a new vehicle needs a new form.
The 2026 amendment deleted the former requirement in § 4313(c) to conspicuously display a manufacturer's certificate for after-manufacture tinting material. The amended § 4313 read for this page contains no certificate or sticker requirement.
The operator, owner or custodian of a vehicle operated in violation of § 4313 faces a fine of $28.75 to $100 (§ 4315(d)). If no collision occurred, the charge may be dismissed before trial if the defendant shows the vehicle has been repaired into compliance (§ 4315(g)). A commercial installer who installs illegal tint is fined $100 to $500. If a fee was charged, the installer must pay the vehicle owner restitution of that fee (§ 4313A(b)).
Running a tint shop in Delaware? See shop software for Delaware.
This page summarizes Delaware statute and regulation text for general information and is not legal advice. It covers passenger vehicles with aftermarket film (film added after the vehicle left the factory) and includes SUV, van and truck rules where the state sets different ones. Some vehicle types, such as limousines, buses, commercial and law-enforcement vehicles, and factory glass are treated differently in some states, and whether a vehicle registered in another state is covered depends on the state; see “Who this covers” above. Federal glazing rules (FMVSS 205, 49 CFR 571.205) apply separately from state law, and 49 U.S.C. 30122 bars manufacturers, distributors, dealers, rental companies and motor vehicle repair businesses from knowingly making inoperative any part of a device or element of design installed to comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard, so installers should check both. Laws change and enforcement varies; confirm current requirements with the state before tinting. Before tinting, ask the installer to measure your glass and confirm the finished window will meet the limit; afterward, ask for a reading on a light-transmission meter and keep it.