The Tint On Your Windows
S.C. Code 56-5-5015 — twenty-seven percent of the light through the side and rear glass, nothing below the AS1 line, and a certificate on each window
An after-factory sunscreen device must be nonreflective and may not be red, yellow or amber. On the windshield it may run only along the top, not below the AS1 line, and none may be applied if the line is not visible.
Twenty-seven percent. On the side windows next to and behind the driver, and on the rearmost window, the combined light transmission of the device and the factory glass must not be less than twenty-seven percent. A tinted rear window requires outside mirrors on both sides.
Each window with after-factory tint carries a certificate of compliance on the inside lower right corner, showing the percentage allowed, the installer's name, address and phone, and the date installed.
The light transmission rules apply only where tint has been added after the factory. Owning or operating a vehicle in violation is a misdemeanor triable in magistrate's court, with a fine of up to $200 or up to thirty days, and installers face more. The section carries its own exceptions.
Sources for this section (1)
- S.C. Code 56-5-5015 — Sunscreen devices
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed South Carolina attorney.