07/16/2025
North Carolina is changing its window tint laws, specifically concerning vehicle inspections and interactions with law enforcement. Senate Bill 43, effective December 1, 2025, removes the requirement for safety inspections to check window tint darkness and instead mandates that drivers of vehicles with tinted windows roll down their driver's side window (or passenger window if approached from that side) upon a law enforcement officer's approach. This change eliminates the $10 fee for inspecting after-market tinted windows.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
1. Removal of Inspection Requirement:
The bill eliminates the need for safety inspections to verify if window tint meets North Carolina's standards. Previously, mechanics would use light meters to measure tint darkness.
2. Roll-Down Requirement:
Drivers of vehicles with tinted windows must now roll down their driver's side window when a law enforcement officer approaches. If the officer approaches from the passenger side, the driver must roll down the passenger window.
Effective Date:
The changes take effect on December 1, 2025.
3. Impact:
This means that mechanics will no longer be responsible for measuring window tint during safety inspections, and drivers will have a clear protocol for interacting with law enforcement regarding tinted windows.
