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South Carolina requires aftermarket tint on the front side, rear side and rear-most windows to be one nonreflective film, not red, yellow or amber, passing at least 27% of light combined with the factory glass. Windshield tint may run only along the top, above the AS1 line, and none if that line is not visible. Behind the driver, the 27% limit covers pickups but not multipurpose passenger vehicles, other trucks, buses or RVs.
Source: S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-5015. Summary last checked against these sources on September 28, 2026.
| Window | Rule |
|---|---|
| Windshield | Tint may be used only along the top of the windshield and may not extend downward beyond the AS1 line; if the AS1 line is not visible, no tint may be applied to the windshield (B). The statute defines AS1 by reference to the glazing marking in 49 CFR 571.205, S5.1.1 (J)(11), and states no inch measurement. Like all tint, it must be nonreflective and not red, yellow or amber (B). |
| Front side windows | A single tint film may be installed on the side wings or side windows at the immediate right and left of the driver. It must be nonreflective, and its combined light transmission with the factory or manufacturer installed material must be not less than 27% (C). The statute states no measurement tolerance. These light-transmittance rules apply only when after-factory tint has been added (A). |
| Rear side windows | The same single-film, nonreflective, 27% combined rule as the front side windows (C). Under (I), the light-transmittance requirement applies to windows behind the driver on pickup trucks, but not on other trucks, buses, trailers, mobile homes, multipurpose passenger vehicles or recreational vehicles. The statute does not mention SUVs or vans; one is outside the limit only if it fits a class listed in (I), such as a multipurpose passenger vehicle (designed to carry ten persons or less and built on a truck chassis or with special features for occasional off-road operation) (J)(5), a bus (designed for more than ten persons) (J)(8) or a truck other than a pickup (designed primarily to carry property or special purpose equipment) (J)(7). Subsection (I) speaks only to light transmittance; it does not mention the nonreflective or color rules. |
| Rear window | A single tint film on the rear-most window must be nonreflective, with combined light transmission with the factory or manufacturer installed material not less than 27%, and a tinted rear-most window requires one right and one left outside rearview mirror (D)(2). A vehicle whose rear-most window film met the earlier 20% rule in (D)(1) when installed is not considered in violation so long as the original film is in place (D)(3). The (I) carve-out for windows behind the driver described above applies to this window too. |
| Reflectance and color | Tint must be nonreflective and may not be red, yellow or amber (B). The statute defines nonreflective as a product primarily designed to absorb light rather than to reflect it (J)(4); the section read states no reflectance percentage. |
| Certificate of compliance and installer duties | Every vehicle with after-factory tint, whether installed by a consumer or a professional tinter, must at all times bear a certificate of compliance in a size and form prescribed by the Department of Public Safety, attached on the inside, lower right-hand corner of each tinted window. It must show the light transmission percentage, the installer's name, address and telephone number, and the installation date (E). Tint sold or offered for use in South Carolina must include installation instructions, and the manufacturer must provide the certificate and instructions for affixing it (F). No one may offer for sale or use tint that does not comply with the section, or install tint on vehicles titled for public roads without permanently affixing the certificate (G). |
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).
The section covers a motor vehicle required to be registered in South Carolina that is operated on a public highway, road or street, and its light-transmittance rules apply only if after-factory tint has been added (A). The light-transmittance limit for windows behind the driver covers pickup trucks but not other trucks, buses, trailers, mobile homes, multipurpose passenger vehicles or recreational vehicles (I). The section does not apply to a vehicle covered by a medical affidavit (H)(1) or to a law enforcement vehicle used regularly to transport a trained canine (H)(2).
The section does not apply to a motor vehicle registered in South Carolina in the name of a person, or the person's legal guardian, who has an affidavit signed by a physician or optometrist licensed in South Carolina stating that the person has a physical condition that makes tint of a light transmittance or reflectance outside the section's limits necessary (H)(1). The affidavit must be in the vehicle at all times while it is driven, must be produced when a law enforcement officer asks, and must be updated every two years. This section describes no application to a state agency for this exemption.
Owning or operating a vehicle in violation of the section is a misdemeanor triable in magistrate's court, punishable by a fine of not more than $200 or up to 30 days in jail (K). A professional window tinter who violates the certificate or sale-and-installation rules in (E) or (G) is guilty of a misdemeanor and must be fined not less than $1,000 or jailed up to 30 days, or both, for each offense; a consumer who violates (E) or (G) must be fined not less than $200 or jailed up to 30 days for each offense (G). Court costs and other consequences are not covered here.
Aftermarket tint on the front side windows, rear side windows and rear-most window must be a single nonreflective film, not red, yellow or amber, and the film and factory glass combined must let through at least 27% of light (S.C. Code § 56-5-5015(B), (C), (D)(2)). Behind the driver, that limit covers pickup trucks but not multipurpose passenger vehicles, other trucks, buses or recreational vehicles (I). The windshield may be tinted only along the top, not below the AS1 line, and not at all if that line is not visible (B).
Pickup trucks: no. Subsection (I) says the light-transmittance requirement applies to windows behind the driver on pickup trucks. SUVs: it depends. The same subsection says it does not apply to windows behind the driver on multipurpose passenger vehicles, other trucks, buses, trailers, mobile homes and recreational vehicles. The statute does not mention SUVs. Most SUVs would qualify, if at all, as a multipurpose passenger vehicle: one designed to carry ten persons or less that is built on a truck chassis or with special features for occasional off-road operation (J)(5). An SUV that fits no class listed in (I) stays under the 27% limit.
Yes. Every vehicle with after-factory tint, whether a consumer or a professional installed it, must bear a certificate of compliance on the inside, lower right-hand corner of each tinted window. It must list the light transmission percentage, the installer's name, address and telephone number, and the installation date (56-5-5015(E)).
Yes. The section does not apply to a vehicle registered in South Carolina in the name of a person, or the person's legal guardian, who has an affidavit from a physician or optometrist licensed in South Carolina stating that a physical condition makes darker or more reflective tint necessary (H)(1). The affidavit must be kept in the vehicle, shown to an officer on request, and updated every two years.
The light-transmittance rules apply only once after-factory tint has been added: if no after-factory tint has been added to the window, those provisions do not apply (56-5-5015(A)). When film is added, the 27% limit is measured on the film combined with the factory or manufacturer installed material (C), (D)(2).
Owning or operating a vehicle in violation of the section is a misdemeanor triable in magistrate's court, with a fine of not more than $200 or up to 30 days in jail (K). A professional tinter who violates the certificate or installation rules is guilty of a misdemeanor and faces a fine of not less than $1,000 or up to 30 days, or both, per offense; a consumer who violates them faces a fine of not less than $200 or up to 30 days per offense (G).
Running a tint shop in South Carolina? See shop software for South Carolina.
This page summarizes South Carolina 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.