What the numbers mean, what Georgia allows, and how to land on a shade you won't regret.
VLT is how much light gets through the glass. 35% means roughly a third of the light comes in. The lower the number, the darker the film, so 5% is nearly blacked out and 70% is almost clear.
Barely looks tinted. Bought for heat and UV, not privacy.
Light. Noticeable on glare without changing the look much.
The usual pick in Georgia. Legal on every window.
Dark. Rear glass on trucks and SUVs, not the fronts.
Limo. Rear only, and hard to see out of at night.
Georgia sets a minimum amount of light that has to get through, under O.C.G.A. 40-8-73.1. These are the limits as they're generally applied.
| Window | Car or sedan | Truck, SUV or van |
|---|---|---|
| Front side windows | 32% or lighter | 32% or lighter |
| Back side windows | 32% or lighter | Any darkness |
| Rear window | 32% or lighter | Any darkness |
| Windshield | Top 6 inches only | Top 6 inches only |
| Reflectivity | No more than 20% | No more than 20% |
A medical exemption for darker film exists through the Department of Public Safety with a letter from a doctor or optometrist. Rules change and enforcement varies, so treat this as a starting point rather than legal advice. We meter your glass on the day, and factory glass counts toward the reading, which is why a 35% film often measures lower than 35% once it's on the car.
Most people decide on looks alone and regret it the first time they reverse out of a driveway at night.
Call with the vehicle and we'll tell you what's legal on it and what most people run.