Ky. Rev. Stat. § 189.110 · checked 2026-10-19 against 2 official sources

Window tint medical exemptions in Kentucky

Kentucky does not provide one. Checked KRS 189.110, the section that carries Kentucky's tint rules, in full. It sets the limits (front side windows at 35 percent transmittance and no more than 25 percent reflectance, 18 percent behind the driver and 8 percent on a multipurpose passenger vehicle, a 70 percent or strip-only windshield, all with a 3 percent tolerance) and it sets a penalty aimed at whoever applies the film, but it contains no medical exemption and no provision for one. The 2024 amendment to the section, SB 46, changed the windshield rule and did not add one.

What applies instead

With no exemption in the statute, the ordinary limits stand: front side windows 35% VLT minimum, back side windows 18% VLT minimum, rear window 18% VLT minimum. A physician's letter does not change them, because there is no provision for an officer to apply.

The practical route for a sun-sensitivity condition is a clear or near-clear ceramic film. The good ones block 99% or more of UV and much of the infrared heat while metering well inside the legal VLT, so you get the protection without the darkness Kentucky forbids.

Check a film's VLT against Kentucky law →

Frequently asked questions

Does Kentucky have a window tint medical exemption?

No. Checked KRS 189.110, the section that carries Kentucky's tint rules, in full. It sets the limits (front side windows at 35 percent transmittance and no more than 25 percent reflectance, 18 percent behind the driver and 8 percent on a multipurpose passenger vehicle, a 70 percent or strip-only windshield, all with a 3 percent tolerance) and it sets a penalty aimed at whoever applies the film, but it contains no medical exemption and no provision for one. The 2024 amendment to the section, SB 46, changed the windshield rule and did not add one.

Can a doctor's note make darker tint legal in Kentucky?

Not on its own. With no exemption in the statute, a physician's letter gives an officer no provision to apply, so the ordinary limits stand: front side windows 35% VLT, back sides 18% VLT, rear 18% VLT.

What can I do about sun sensitivity in Kentucky then?

A clear or near-clear ceramic film is the usual route: the good ones block 99% or more of UV and a large share of infrared heat at a VLT that stays inside Ky. Rev. Stat. § 189.110. That gets you the protection without the darkness the statute forbids.

Sources

KRS 189.110 - Unobstructed windshields (official)
Kentucky Acts Chapter 17 (2024 SB 46), amending KRS 189.110 (official)

Reference only, not legal or medical advice. Forms and fees change — confirm against the official source above before you file, and get the form from the agency rather than a third-party form site.