Window Tint Laws in New South Wales (2026)

Transport for NSW sets out the rules in a fact sheet, “How do I know my windows and window tint are legal in NSW?”, published in May 2025. The law behind it is rule 44 of the Light Vehicle Standards Rules in Schedule 2 of the Road Transport (Vehicle Registration) Regulation 2017, plus an NSW-only rule, 44A. The fact sheet replaced the older guidance, VSI 03 “Windows and Tintings”, which has been withdrawn, and we found no change to the percentages.

NSW tint limits at a glance

The fact sheet describes VLT as “the measurement used to describe how much light a window lets through”. The lower the number, the darker the window. The regulation measures the glass and any film together, as a percentage of the light that would pass with no glass at all.

On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see every column.

The windscreen band

The windscreen glass must let through at least 70% of light, and the only film allowed on it is a band across the top. The fact sheet puts it this way: “The tinted or opaque band can cover no more than 10% of the windscreen height, or the windscreen above the swept arc of the wiper blades, whichever is greater.” The regulation uses the greater of “the area above the highest point of the windscreen that is swept by a windscreen wiper” and “the upper 10% of the windscreen”.

The 70% figure lines up with the national design rule for glazing: ADR 8/01 requires at least 70% in the primary vision area for passenger cars built from 1 January 1994.

Reflective film and spray-on tint

Under the fact sheet, film on glass “must not have a reflectance of more than 10%”. It also lists mirror-like window film that is too reflective, and spray-on tinting or finishes, among the things that aren’t allowed.

Mirrors decide the rear limit

The 20% figure depends on mirrors. The regulation allows rear glazing to be coated to at least 20% “If a motor vehicle is fitted with at least 1 rear vision mirror to each side of the vehicle”. The fact sheet spells out the other case: a passenger car with only a driver’s-side mirror is held to 35% on the rear windows as well as the driver’s windows.

The fact sheet counts as rear windows “everything behind the driver, including the back-seat side windows, the rear screen and any quarter-glass windows”.

Goods vehicles, privacy glass and older cars

Goods vehicles

A vehicle designed primarily to carry goods can go to 0% behind the driver if it has a mirror on each side and either at least four wheels, or at least three wheels and a gross vehicle mass over 1 tonne. For commercial vehicles, trucks and heavy buses, the fact sheet says “No minimum VLT specified for rear windows.”

Factory privacy glass

Dark glass fitted by the manufacturer is treated differently from film. “Providing the privacy glass is fitted as an option by the vehicle’s manufacturer, it can be darker than the allowable VLT limits for applied window film.” The catch comes next: “if the privacy glass is already darker than the regulated VLT limit for window film, then no film can be applied to it.”

Cars first registered before 1 August 1994

On a car first registered before 1 August 1994, the rear and driver’s windows may have a lower VLT than otherwise allowed, as long as the tint was fitted before that date. This comes from the NSW-only rule 44A.

Medical exemptions

Transport for NSW doesn’t describe a medical exemption process. Neither the fact sheet nor the NSW Vehicle Standards Information index mentions one. That doesn’t prove none exists, so if a customer has a medical reason for darker film, ask Transport for NSW in writing before you fit it.

Penalties and how tint is checked

The fact sheet gives no fine or demerit points for illegal tint, and the NSW Government’s offence search, which lists demerit point offences, shows none for tint. The regulation itself makes it an offence to use a light vehicle on a road unless it “complies with the Light Vehicle Standards Rules”, which include the tint rules, with a maximum penalty of 20 penalty units (clause 60). The fact sheet adds that tint “will be checked at your yearly pink slip inspection”. The regulation leaves the test method to “any technical specification published by or adopted by Transport for NSW from time to time”.

How NSW compares

NSW follows the national default of 35% at the front and 20% behind the driver with a mirror on each side, the same as Victoria, Queensland, WA, South Australia and Tasmania. The NT allows 15% behind the driver. In the ACT, Access Canberra’s page says 20%, but the regulation itself still says 35%. Our window tint laws by state guide compares all eight jurisdictions, and our guide on how to tint car windows covers the job itself.

Sources

• Transport for NSW, How do I know my windows and window tint are legal in NSW? (May 2025)
• NSW Government, Vehicle Standards Information
• NSW Government, Search offences and penalties
• Road Transport (Vehicle Registration) Regulation 2017, clause 60 and Schedule 2, rules 44 and 44A
• Australian Design Rule 8/01, Safety Glazing Material

Other states

• Window tint laws in Victoria
• Window tint laws in Queensland
• Window tint laws in Western Australia
• Window tint laws in South Australia
• Window tint laws in Tasmania