Windshield Tint Strip & UV Film
The legal top strip, plus clear UV film that is allowed across the whole windshield.
The short answer
Two separate things are legal on a Washington windshield: a transparent strip along the top six inches, and clear UV or ceramic film across the entire windshield. The second one is the genuinely useful upgrade and almost nobody knows about it.
The top strip
The statute permits a greater degree of light reduction along the top edge of the windshield, provided the product is transparent and does not extend into the AS-1 portion or more than six inches down from the top.
It is the visor strip — useful for low winter sun on an east-west commute, which around here is most of the year.
The part worth knowing about
Clear film that reduces or eliminates ultraviolet light is explicitly permitted on windshields. Because it does not meaningfully cut visible light, it stays legal across the whole glass.
Why that matters:
- It is the biggest piece of glass in the car and the main heat and UV source on your hands, arms and face while driving
- UV exposure while driving is real and cumulative, and it is one-sided — drivers get more of it on the right side of the face and the left arm
- It protects the interior, particularly the dashboard, which cracks and fades from windshield UV more than from side glass
- Nobody can tell you have it, which for some people is the point
Pair a clear ceramic windshield with a light ceramic on the sides and you get real heat rejection on a car that looks essentially untinted.
What is not allowed
- Film below the six inch line that reduces visible light
- Anything extending into the AS-1 area
- Mirror-finish film anywhere
- Red, gold, yellow or black film
Full detail on the tint law page.
Questions we get
Is a windshield strip legal in Washington?
Yes, along the top edge only - transparent, not into the AS-1 area, and no more than six inches from the top.
Can I put clear film on my whole windshield?
Yes. Clear film that blocks UV without reducing visible light is explicitly permitted across the whole windshield.
Does windshield film help with heat?
Yes, and more than people expect. The windshield is the largest glass area and the main source of heat and UV on the driver.
Will it affect my rain sensor or camera?
We work around the sensor and camera housing. Tell us what your car has and we will plan the cut before starting.