West Virginia’s passenger-car baseline is 35% transmission on side and rear windows. Rear transmission exceptions depend on statutory vehicle class and do not remove the other applicable installation rules.
Read the official sources ↓Rules by window
| Window | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Windshield | Nonreflective top strip only, no lower than AS-1 or five inches from the top, whichever is closer to the top; no red, yellow or amber. |
| Front side | At least 35% transmission; nonreflective material and no more than 20% reflection. |
| Rear side | Passenger cars: at least 35% transmission and no more than 20% reflection. Listed trucks, buses, trailers, mobile homes and qualifying multipurpose vehicles have a rear transmission exception. |
| Rear window | Same passenger-car baseline and listed rear transmission exception; both outside mirrors are required when glazing behind the driver is tinted. |
Manufacturer labels
Each applied glazing surface requires the manufacturer’s label between material and glass, identifying the maker and transmission. It goes at the lower-left corner when viewed from outside.
Medical affidavit
A West Virginia-licensed physician or optometrist must document why the exception is needed. The vehicle must be registered to the affected person or legal guardian, who must carry the affidavit while being transported.
Class and factory-glass exceptions
Verify the statutory multipurpose definition before using its rear exception. Factory-installed screening is addressed separately from added aftermarket film.
Before you rely on this guide
This is general information, not legal advice, a vehicle inspection, or permission to install a particular film. Exceptions and enforcement procedures can depend on your circumstances.
- The cited section does not specify a medical-affidavit renewal interval; do not import another state’s renewal rule.
- The State Police inspection-study summary uses broader color wording than the windshield-specific statutory clause. The complete current inspection manual and measurement procedure were not retrievable in this review, so confirm inspection treatment rather than assume colored side or rear tint is permitted.
The research date shows when the sources were checked. It is not the date the law took effect, and it does not mean this page is monitored continuously. This research preview still awaits human editorial review; we do not claim attorney review.
Official sources
- West Virginia Legislature: §17C-15-36a ↗
Current official sunscreen-device section: limits, labels, mirrors, vehicle classifications and medical affidavits.
- West Virginia State Police: inspection study guide ↗
Indexed official summary used only to identify a wording discrepancy; complete current inspection manual and measurement procedure were not retrieved.