Ky. Rev. Stat. » Chapter 189
Kentucky Revised Statutes

Ky. Rev. Stat. § 189.110 (2026)

Unobstructed windshields -- Display of American flag -- Windshield

✓ current as of May 2026
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section KY-LRCapps.legislature.ky.gov JustiaChapter on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

wipers. (1) A windshield in a fixed and upright position, that is equipped with safety glazing as required by federal safety-glazing material standards, is required on every motor vehicle which is operated on the public highways, roads, and streets, except on a motorcycle or implement of husbandry. (2) A person shall not operate a motor vehicle on a public highway, road, or street with any sign, sunscreening material, product, or covering attached to, or located in or upon the windshield, except the following: (a) A certificate or other paper required to be displayed by law; (b) Sunscreening material along a strip at the top of the windshield, if the material is transparent and does not encroach upon the driver's direct forward viewing area as defined in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards No. 205 as the AS/1 portion of the windshield; or (c) Sunscreening material or other product or material applied to the windshield, when used in conjunction with the safety glazing materials of the windshield, if it has a light transmittance of not less than seventy percent (70%) and is not red or yellow in color. (3) A person shall not operate a motor vehicle required to be registered in the Commonwealth, on a public highway, road, or street on which vehicle the side wings and side windows on either side forward of or adjacent to the operator's seat are composed of, covered by, or treated with any sunscreening material or other product or covering which has the effect of making the window nontransparent or which would alter the window's color, increase its reflectivity, or reduce its light transmittance, except as expressly permitted by this section. A sunscreening material may be applied to the windows if, when tested on one-eighth (1/8) inch clear glass, the material has a total solar reflectance of visible light of not more than twenty-five percent (25%) as measured on the nonfilm side and a light transmittance of at least thirty-five percent (35%) in the visible light range. (4) A person shall not operate a motor vehicle required to be registered in the Commonwealth, on a public highway, road, or street on which vehicle any windows behind the driver are composed of, covered by, or treated with any sunscreening material, or other product or material which has the effect of making the window nontransparent or which would alter the window's color, increase its reflectivity, or reduce its light transmittance, except as specified below: (a) Sunscreen material consisting of film which, when tested on one-eighth (1/8) inch clear glass, has a total solar reflectance of visible light of not more than thirty-five percent (35%) as measured on the nonfilm side and a light transmittance of at least eighteen percent (18%) in the visible light range; however, sunscreen material which, when tested on one-eighth (1/8) inch clear glass, has a total solar reflectance of visible light of not more than thirty- five percent (35%) as measured on the nonfilm side and a light transmittance of at least eight percent (8%) in the visible light range may be used on multipurpose passenger vehicles; or (b) Perforated sunscreening material which, when tested in conjunction with existing glazing or film material, has a total reflectance of visible light of not more than thirty-five percent (35%) and a light transmittance of no less than thirty percent (30%). For those products or materials having different levels of reflectance, the highest reflectance from the product or material will be measured by dividing the area into sixteen (16) equal sections and averaging the overall reflectance. The measured reflectance of any of those sections may not exceed fifty percent (50%). (5) A person shall not operate a motor vehicle required to be registered in the Commonwealth, upon a public highway, road, or street, on which vehicle the rear window is composed of, covered by, or treated with any material which has the effect of making the window nontransparent, unless the vehicle is equipped with side mirrors on both sides. (6) Each installer or seller of sunscreening material shall provide a pressure-sensitive, self-destructive, nonremovable, vinyl-type film label to the purchaser stating that the material complies with the provisions of KRS 189.010(20) to (23) and subsections (1) to (5) of this section. Each installer shall affix the required label to the inside left door jamb of the motor vehicle. In addition, the label shall state the trade name of the material and the installer's or seller's business name. Labeling is not required for factory glazing which complies with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 205. (7) Every percentage measurement required by subsections (2) to (4) of this section is subject to a tolerance of plus or minus three percent (3%). (8) A person shall not install window tinting materials on a vehicle that fails to meet the minimum standards for light transmission pursuant to subsections (2) to (4) of this section. Tinted material that fails to meet the minimum standards for light transmission pursuant to subsections (2) to (4) of this section shall be removed immediately. (9) A person who applies sunscreening materials in violation of this section shall be guilty upon conviction of a Class B misdemeanor. (10) Nothing in this section shall prevent the display of a representation of the American flag on the rear window of any motor vehicle, including any vehicle owned by a local or state government, provided that the representation does not exceed a size of five (5) inches by eight (8) inches and is placed in a lower corner of the rear window. (11) The windshield on every motor vehicle shall be equipped with a device for cleaning rain, snow or other moisture from the windshield. The device shall be so constructed as to be controlled by the operator of the vehicle. (12) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the use of any window which is composed of, covered by, or treated with any material or component in a manner approved by federal statute or regulation if the window was a component part of a vehicle at the time of the vehicle manufacture, or the replacement of any window by a covering which meets these requirements. Effective: July 15, 2024 History: Amended 2024 Ky. Acts ch. 17, sec. 1, effective July 15, 2024. -- Amended 1994 Ky. Acts ch. 42, sec. 11, effective July 15, 1994. -- Amended 1988 Ky. Acts ch. 244, sec. 2, effective July 15, 1988. -- Amended 1970 Ky. Acts ch. 283, sec. 1. -- Recodified 1942 Ky. Acts ch. 208, sec. 1, effective October 1, 1942, from Ky. Stat. sec. 2739g-69c.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 8 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1997–2023 · leading case: Garcia v. Commonwealth, 185 S.W.3d 658 (Ky. Ct. App. 2006).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
Garcia v. Commonwealth, 185 S.W.3d 658 (Ky. Ct. App. 2006). · cites it 8× “Garcia argues that the cracked windshield was not a violation of KRS 189.110. Thus, he contends the initial stop of the vehicle was without reasonable suspicion of criminal activity and the circuit court erred by denying his motion to suppress evidence.”
Greer v. Commonwealth, 514 S.W.3d 566 (Ky. Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 2× “He argues there was no substantial evidence that his vehicle was tinted in violation of KRS 189.110(4), and stresses that the grand jury refused to indict him on the charge.”
United States v. Courtney Noble, 762 F.3d 509 (6th Cir. 2014). “See Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 189.110 (4). Next, Officer Ray asked Adkins to step out of the Tahoe because Officer Ray suspected Adkins of driving under the influence, apparently because he crossed the lane line without signaling.”
Ciak v. State, 597 S.E.2d 392 (Ga. 2004). “); KRS § 189.110 (3) (Ky.); Miss. Code Ann. § 63-7-59 (1); O.”
Fultz v. Commonwealth, 554 S.W.3d 385 (Ky. Ct. App. 2018). “In the current case, the offense of excessive window tinting is defined by KRS 189.110. At the time of the offense, KRS 189.”
Ransom v. Evans (W.D. Ky. 2023). · cites it 2× “Under Kentucky law excessive window tinting is a misdemeanor, KRS § 189.110, and Officer Evans suspected Ransom of at least a Class D felony for possession of narcotics.”
United States v. Michael Dunn, Jr. (6th Cir. 2023). “Dolak then directed Dunn to pull over to the 1 See Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 189.110 (2), 189.990(1).”
Tucker v. United States, 704 A.2d 845 (D.C. 1997). “§ 55-9-107(a)(6) (1996); Idaho Code § 49-944 (5) (1996); Ky.Rev.Stat.Ann. § 189.110(12) (1997). . The government argues that, even if the TWA were unconstitutional — a proposition which the government vigorously disputes — the motion to suppress was properly denied.”
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 189.110(12) — 1 case
Tucker v. United States, 704 A.2d 845 (D.C. 1997). “§ 55-9-107(a)(6) (1996); Idaho Code § 49-944 (5) (1996); Ky.Rev.Stat.Ann. § 189.110(12) (1997). . The government argues that, even if the TWA were unconstitutional — a proposition which the government vigorously disputes — the motion to suppress was properly denied.”
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 189.110(4) — 1 case
Greer v. Commonwealth, 514 S.W.3d 566 (Ky. Ct. App. 2017). “He argues there was no substantial evidence that his vehicle was tinted in violation of KRS 189.110(4), and stresses that the grand jury refused to indict him on the charge.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.