You can tint the front windshield in Florida only in the strip above the manufacturer’s AS-1 line, and the film in that strip must be non-reflective. Everything below that line has to stay clear glass. The one exception is a state-issued medical exemption, which lets you tint the full windshield darker than the standard rule allows.
Where the AS-1 Line Sits
The AS-1 line is etched or printed into the windshield by the manufacturer. It marks the top of the area the driver needs for visibility, and on most vehicles it runs roughly five to six inches down from the top edge of the glass. The exact position varies by make and model, so check your own windshield before buying film.
Federal safety standards are the reason the rule is this strict. Under ANSI Z26.1, incorporated into federal motor vehicle safety standards, windshield glass in the area needed for driving visibility must allow at least 70 percent light transmittance. If your windshield has no AS-1 line at all, the whole windshield has to meet that 70 percent threshold.1National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA Interpretation Letter 11-000697 Trooper Kile 205 So without a medical exemption, aftermarket film below the AS-1 line is not legal in Florida, regardless of how light it looks.
Side and rear windows follow separate rules with their own VLT limits, and those limits differ between sedans and SUVs, trucks, and vans. This piece is about the windshield; if you are tinting the other windows, the numbers to look up sit in Florida Statutes 316.2953 and 316.2954.
Medical Exemption for a Darker Windshield
Florida law allows a medical exemption certificate that overrides the standard tint restrictions on every window, including the windshield. The statute covers Lupus, any autoimmune disease, and other conditions that require limited exposure to light.2Florida Senate. Florida Code 316.29545 – Window Sunscreening Exclusions; Medical Exemption The FLHSMV application lists these qualifying conditions specifically:
- Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus)
- Dermatomyositis
- Albinism
- Total or facial vitiligo
- Xeroderma Pigmentosum
The list is not closed. The statute directs the department to consult with its Medical Advisory Board on which autoimmune diseases and other conditions qualify, so other diagnoses that require limited light exposure may also be approved.2Florida Senate. Florida Code 316.29545 – Window Sunscreening Exclusions; Medical Exemption
How to Apply for the Exemption
The application is Form HSMV 83390, Application for Sunscreening Medical Exemption. It asks for your name and address as they appear on your Florida driver license, the title number and VIN for each vehicle you want covered, and a physician’s statement of certification with the doctor’s name, license number, and business address. The physician has to be licensed under Florida Chapters 458, 459, or 460.3Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Application for Sunscreening Medical Exemption
If the person with the medical condition is not the registered owner of the vehicle, there is a separate field on the form for that person’s information. You can list more than one vehicle on a single application.
After the physician signs the form, mail it to the Bureau of Motorist Compliance, 2900 Apalachee Parkway, Mail Stop 97, Tallahassee, FL 32399. FLHSMV processes all sunscreening exemption requests centrally.4Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Procedure RS-48 – Sunscreening Medical Exemption Certificate The department may charge a processing fee.2Florida Senate. Florida Code 316.29545 – Window Sunscreening Exclusions; Medical Exemption
Once approved, you receive a certificate and a decal number for each vehicle. The certificate has no expiration date, but it is tied to the specific vehicle on it. Selling or transferring that vehicle voids the certificate, and you have to apply again for a replacement vehicle.3Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Application for Sunscreening Medical Exemption Keep the certificate in the glove compartment so you can show it to an officer if you are stopped.4Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Procedure RS-48 – Sunscreening Medical Exemption Certificate
Penalties for Illegal Windshield Tint
Driving with illegal tint is a noncriminal traffic infraction, classified as a nonmoving violation under Florida Statute 316.2956.5Florida Senate. Florida Code 316.2956 – Violation of Provisions Relating to Windshields, Windows, and Sunscreening Material; Penalties Fines for nonmoving violations in Florida generally run around $100 to $150 depending on the county, with the exact amount set by local fee schedules under Chapter 318. You may also be told to remove the film, and repeated stops for the same problem stack up quickly.
The penalties on the installer side are heavier. Selling or installing tint that violates the sunscreening statutes is a second-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to 60 days in jail or a fine of up to $500.5Florida Senate. Florida Code 316.2956 – Violation of Provisions Relating to Windshields, Windows, and Sunscreening Material; Penalties A reputable shop will measure VLT on your specific glass before choosing a film and will refuse to put anything below the AS-1 line without seeing your exemption certificate first.
Windshield Film and Driver Assistance Cameras
Most newer vehicles have a forward-facing camera mounted behind the rearview mirror. It powers lane-keeping assist, forward collision warnings, and automatic high beams, and it looks through the exact strip where a windshield tint would sit. Film in that zone can reduce optical clarity enough to trigger warning lights or lower the system’s confidence, especially in low light.
Radar and ultrasonic sensors for adaptive cruise control and parking assist usually sit in the bumper or grille, so window film does not affect them. The camera behind the glass is the real concern. Metallic films add another risk: they can interfere with cell reception, GPS, and key fob range. If your vehicle relies on driver assistance, a high-clarity, non-metallic ceramic film kept above the AS-1 line is the safer choice.