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Hawaii: Everything You Need to Know

• Hawaii Window Tint Exemption Laws

  Hawaii's window tinting laws are governed under Hawaii Revised Statutes § 291-21.5 (Regulation of motor vehicle sun-screening devices; penalty). Unlike many other states, Hawaii has not established a medical exemption program within its tint statute. All drivers, regardless of medical condition, must comply with the same standard tint limits under state law.

  • Hawaii window tint laws were originally enacted in 1989 under HRS § 291-21.5 and were significantly updated in 2025 under Act 129.
  • There is currently no medical exemption provision in HRS § 291-21.5. Several bills proposing medical exemptions have been introduced in the Hawaii Legislature but none have been signed into law.
  • No state agency administers a certification program or issues exemption certificates for window tint in Hawaii.
  • Hawaii's 2025 Act 129 update expanded rear window tinting allowances for sedans but did not introduce a medical exemption provision.
  • Violations carry fines of $250 to $500 for vehicle owners and $500 to $1,000 for businesses under HRS § 291-21.5.
• Policy Timeline

  1989 – Original Tint Law Enacted

  • Hawaii enacts HRS § 291-21.5, establishing the state's first motor vehicle sun-screening device regulations. The statute sets baseline VLT requirements for all vehicle windows. No medical exemption provision is included in the original text.

  2019 – Stricter Enforcement Standards Applied

  • Hawaii updates enforcement practices under HRS § 291-21.5, tightening compliance standards for tint darkness and reflectivity. Medical exemption provisions are again absent from any legislative updates during this period.

  2023 – HB 368 Proposed

  • The Hawaii Legislature introduces HB 368, which would exempt persons with light sensitivity due to a medical condition from standard VLT restrictions. The bill does not advance to a vote and no medical exemption is enacted.

  2025 – Act 129 Updates Tint Rules

  • Governor Green signs Act 129, modernizing Hawaii's tint regulations. The update lowers front windshield VLT requirements, equalizes rear window rules between sedans and larger vehicles, and requires installers to provide a compliance certificate. No medical exemption provision is included in the final Act.

  Present Day – No Exemption Program Exists

  • Hawaii remains one of the few states with no medical window tint exemption pathway. HRS § 291-21.5 contains no provision for physician certification or darker tint for photosensitive patients.
• Legal Tint Limits

  Hawaii law sets specific tint limits under HRS § 291-21.5, as updated by Act 129 (2025). Because no medical exemption program exists, these limits apply to all drivers without exception.

  Standard Hawaii Tint Limits:

  • Windshield: Non-reflective tint permitted only on the top 4 inches or above the AS-1 line. Full windshield tint is permitted if total VLT is at least 70%.
  • Front Side Windows: Must allow more than 35% VLT. A 6% measurement variance is permitted.
  • Back Side Windows: Any darkness level is permitted for all vehicle types under Act 129 (2025), provided dual outside mirrors are installed.
  • Rear Window: Any darkness level is permitted for all vehicle types under Act 129 (2025), provided dual outside mirrors are installed.
  • Prohibited Colors: Red, yellow, and amber tints are not permitted.
  • Reflectivity: Mirrored and metallic tints are prohibited on all windows.
  • Installer Certificate: Required, installers must provide a certificate of compliance, which must be kept in the vehicle at all times.