Folks that have a thing for their cars will often show it through the kind of tinting they dress then with– and of course there are many reasons beyond this– and yet, the rest of us have to be careful how much freedom we grant them.
This friction is what has now been reflected in tinting laws across the world. In the United States, these laws are legislated at state level and so will defer dependent on where it is that you will be situated. Today we take a deep dive into the standards required by the government of Georgia.
The article starts by sharing about the general standards i.e. window tinting darkness and window tint reflection before going on to explore the exemptions, practical aspects of the industry etc.
To give you better perspective, I have from time to time situated Georgia’s requirements in contrast with other states so that is a benefit that you will have reading along.
Also, while it has been several decades from the first time that Georgia passed its first legislation in this area, I have been sure to ensure that my research captures all the modifications that have happened ever since so you do not have to wrestle with the task of reconciling what the current positions are.
Finally, I always endeavor –as I will again do here– to communicate in simple language in a deliberate effort to break away from the tradition of throwing around jargons that lawyers tend to engage in thereby putting off everyone else watching.
Georgia Window Tinting Darkness Laws
Window Tinting Darkness is the more famous of the two broad branches of tinting windows i.e. whenever people here about tint, most of them have their minds run to dark tint. Tint darkness achieves its objectives by simply blocking the light that is coming its way.
Important to note however, is that not all darkened tint does this to the same degree. This bring us to the concept of Visible Light Transmission also abbreviated as VLT. VLT is the measure of amounts of light that dark tint allows into a vehicle.
It is captured in percentages with the higher figures reflecting higher light volumes being allowed in the car. That is to say that if a tint film has its estimated VLT at 90%, then it subsequently means that it will let in more portions of light into a car than one that is 40% VLT.
Different legislations then, have varying stipulations of how much VLT percentages are to be construed as permissible. This is usually dependent of two factors conventionally speaking i.e. the car type in question and then the position of windows on a car.
In relation to the first factor, vehicles are allowed different VLT percentages usually owing to their structure (e.g. size, height…) or their purposes. In some states for instance, commercial vehicles are allowed less VLT percentages than private cars since people are driven by individuals that they are not exactly familiar with in the former case thereby creating room for criminality through say abductions if too low VLT is accepted.
As for the positions of the windows, the logic rotates on the notion that the reason there are many windows on a car and not one is because each of them serves a given role which can also be different from the rest.
In the case of a windshield for instance, it is quite clear that it is akin to no other since it is through it that the driver will interact with the road for at least 90% of the time or even higher. The issue that many users are concerned with then is the appearance of a vehicle whose tint is not uniform at all.
My advice usually is that they can opt to tint with the least restrictive VLT for the whole vehicle.
Legislatures do not always factor in both these aspects though Georgia is one of those that do as we will now proceed to see specifically;
- Sedans and Coupes Windshield: tint is only allowed for the top six inches of the screen.
Front side windows: a maximum of 32% VLT is required.
Backside windows: a maximum of 32% VLT is required.
Rear window: a maximum of 32% VLT is required.
- SUVs and Vans Windshield: tint is only allowed for the top six inches of the screen.
Front side windows: a maximum of 32% VLT is required.
Backside windows: there are no restrictions on VLT percentage whatsoever.
Rear window: there are no restrictions on VLT percentage whatsoever.
Georgia Window Tint Reflection Laws
As it is the case that window tinting darkness easily comes to people’s minds, not many fully appreciate the reflection side of things. It is the case however, that window tint reflection is very effective too and is in fact better than window tint darkness in some areas.
I would thus urge you to ask first what it is that you want from your tint and then go on to see which of the two options suits you best.
The way window tint reflection does its thing is somewhat subtle. Rather than directly block light as is the case under tint darkness, it instead deflects it to somewhere else like its name suggests. It is because of this that more that tint darkness, window tint reflection screams for regulation.
Notice that individuals have no direct incentive to not overly tint their cars under tint reflection. This arises from the fact that whereas a driver is likely to harm themselves directly if they are going to opt for dark tint i.e. they will distort their vision and therefore driving, overly reflective tint shifts all the risks on persons driving other cars instead since it is to them that light will be reflected to.
Tint reflection also differs from window tinting darkness in the way that it is measured. Rather than look at the amount of lighting that a film allows into the car, figures under reflection are arrived at by the percentage of the light coming towards the car that is reflected.
It also means then, that the higher the figures of reflection indicated for reflective tint, the more the amount of light it reflects. Given two therefore, one with 20% light reflection, and the other with 50%, the second vehicle is considered to be giving off more lighting in its reflection tint.
As for how to stipulate what amount of reflection should be adhered to, again law makers depend on the factors that were discussed under window tint darkness. In the case of Georgia though, none of them was actually considered under this bracket. It does not matter for example that one is driving a van or coupe for instance. Here are the specifics;
- Front side windows: only a maximum of 20% reflection is permissible.
- Backside windows: only a maximum of 20% reflection is permissible.
Other Georgia Window Tinting Laws
Now that you know the essentials of both window tint darkness and window tinting reflection laws, you can consider yourself braced with the thrust of Georgia’s window tint laws. That said however, there are still a several more provisions for which it is important that you are informed about. These mostly bring nuance to what has already been covered or help clarify positions relating to unique cases.
- Color restrictions: I believe everyone appreciates that colors come in different shades, some are more shouting than others etc. The same thing extends to tinting. Often, colors that are too reflective are not allowed.
In Georgia, the banned colors are red, amber, yellow, and blue. This is a bit more restrictive than the norm since states often disallow just the first two from those shared. Emergency vehicles e.g. ambulances and fire engines are allowed the privilege of exemption from this restriction.
If you are driving a commercial vehicle however, note that you may only color its front side windows alone.
- Medical exemption: it is now widely accepted that for the sake of the health of some individuals, it is always necessary that room is allowed for them to use darker tinting on their cars and Georgia law takes cognizant of this fact. Generally speaking, these persons usually suffer from skin or eye complications though there can be other illnesses too. The room for exemption in Georgia will go as below as 23% VLT for the screens whose cap is ordinarily at 32% VLT.
In order to become a beneficiary of this policy however, you need to obtain documentation from a physician which attests to the condition in question first. You may then apply for a special permit while attaching along the doctor’s testimony.
Note that high quality tint even when it is not too dark usually has the potential of keeping out UV light if at all that is the issue for which you which to apply for special consideration in which case you would only need to ascertain with a professional whether the tint that you have is of such a kind. Other items that have been known to play this role are sunscreen, sunglasses, clothing that covers the whole body etc.
- Side mirrors: for folks that insist on tinting the rear windows of their cars to pitch black, then Georgia asks of you to ensure that they are installed with two side mirrors (one for each side). This is a pretty standard requirement for cases of this nature across all states. The rationale is that it remains possible for a driver to get to interact with the road users behind them which is something that rear windows are meant to help with traditionally.
- Penalties: Georgia has some of the toughest consequences to be faced by those that violate window tint laws. We are talking here of possibility of paying $ 1,000 or going to jail for a whole year. One understands the reason for this approach though now that most of the other provisions are very understanding. Making everything simple would have the public take the laws for granted.
Note that the sum and sentence above are the possible maximum so they do not always happen. There are more likely to however, if you are caught breaking window tinting provisions repeatedly. This is something that can happen among other instances, when you pay a fine or serve a sentence but then do not remove the tint that was found to be illegal from your car windows.
Tinting can also arise as an issue in other court cases e.g. when a survivor of an accident claims that the car that knocked them did so because its tinting was too dark for example, and that as a result, the driver could not properly see what it is that was ahead of them.
To avoid finding yourself in any of these uncomfortable positions, please know that you can check your car tinting levels with an auto personnel if you are not sure. This is done with a device known as a photometer.
- Headlight and Tail light tint: related to window tinting, is headlight and tail light tinting an aspect of the industry that is often illegal for most of the time in the United States. Nonetheless, Georgia allows it provided at least 70% of the light churned by these lights gets through.
Others
The more time I have spent around laws, the more I have come to realize that they do not exist in a vacuum. Keeping with this theme then, let us look at a couple of things that I argue you will find very useful when you get to the point of deciding whether tinting in Georgia is something that you can work with later on how you will go about the process if you decide to proceed.
- More tint variation. We have throughout the article talked about the categories of tinting darkness and then tinting reflection. There are other variations in tint within these two branches. Usually the differences here center on quality and effectiveness.
Some are dark enough and yet they more or less do not obscure vision at all, others will go for a long time without needing replacement etc. Be sure to inquire then about these dynamics so you can settle with the product that suits you best.
- Subtle uses. We all understand that tinting regulates lighting and guards our privacy. There are more reasons for you to tint your car though that many people continue to be unaware of. Security is a good one in this regard. When parked somewhere, you won’t fear to leave valuable property in your car if your windows are tinted since no one will be able to tell that you left anything.
Tinting also serves to keep the inside of your car “new”. With less heat coming in, your upholstery, electronics, and the rest of the internal parts will remain intact. This will give you a better experience of your car beyond just being able to move from one place to another. Moreover, this is a factor that will make the vehicle attractive should you ever want to sell it.
Georgia State Info
At approximately 153,000 km sq, Georgia occupies a fairly large area. If at all, it is the biggest state east of the Mississippi. Going by land alone however, it is not a populous state as it comes tenth in the category of the said states.
Georgia was officially founded in 1732 making the last of the initial thirteen original colonies of the British. It goes without saying that the land itself existed prior to this of course. When the Spanish first set foot in the area for instance, it was inhabited by the Cherokee and Creek Indians. Georgia’s capital is Atlanta.
Cities in Georgia: Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Savannah, Athens, Sandy Springs, Roswell, Macon, Johns Creek, Albany, Warner Robins, Alpharetta, Marietta, Valdosta, Smyrna, Dunwoody, Rome, East Point, Milton, Gainesville, Hinesville, Peachtree City, Newnan, Dalton, Douglasville, Kennesaw, LaGrange, Statesboro, Lawrenceville, Duluth, Stockbridge, Woodstock, Carrollton, Canton, Griffin, McDonough, Acworth, Pooler, Union City, Decatur, Cartersville, Sugar Hill, Milledgeville, Snellville, Forest Park, Thomasville, St. Marys, Tifton, Americus, Kingsland, uwanee, Dublin, Calhoun, Chamblee, Brunswick, Norcross, Riverdale, Conyers, Perry
Counties in Georgia: Fulton, Gwinnett, Cobb, DeKalb, Clayton, Chatham, Cherokee, Richmond, Muscogee, Bibb, Hall, Henry, Houston, Whitfield, Clarke, Forsyth, Dougherty, Douglas, Lowndes, Fayette, Floyd, Columbia, Coweta, Carroll, Paulding, Bartow, Rockdale, Glynn, Newton, Liberty, Walker, Walton, Troup, Spalding, Bulloch, Catoosa, Barrow, Laurens, Baldwin, Gordon, Camden, Thomas, Colquitt, Jackson, Tift, Effingham, Coffee, Murray, Habersham, Ware, Sumter, Oconee, Decatur, Upson, Wayne, Toombs, Madison, Haralson, Chattooga, Stephens, Lee, Mitchell, Harris, Peach, Grady, Jones, Gilmer, Bryan, Hart, Pickens, Meriwether, Tattnall, Burke, Crisp, Worth, Emanuel, Monroe, McDuffie, Washington, Lumpkin, Elbert, Franklin, White, Fannin, Butts, Dodge, Putnam, Ben Hill, Appling, Union, Jefferson, Brooks, Berrien, Dawson, Lamar, Cook, Pierce, Morgan, Screven, Dade, Rabun, Chattahoochee, Brantley, Banks, Greene, Macon, Pike, Jeff Davis, Oglethorpe, Crawford, Early, Telfair, Bleckley, Dooly, Jasper, Heard, Terrell, McIntosh, Wilkes, Twiggs, Evans, Long, Charlton, Wilkinson, Bacon, Hancock, Irwin, Pulaski, Candler, Turner, Seminole, Towns, Taylor, Wilcox, Jenkins, Johnson, Lincoln, Montgomery, Randolph, Atkinson, Lanier, Marion, Clinch, Treutlen, Talbot, Miller, Warren, Calhoun, Wheeler, Stewart, Baker, Schley, Echols, Clay, Quitman, Glascock, Webster, Taliaferro
Tint law references:
Georgia Code section 40-8-73.1: Tinting of windows or windshields
State of Georgia – Ammended Window Tint Laws