How dark you may tint your car windows in Korea is set not by the film shop but by the Road Traffic Act. Article 49(1)3 bans driving a car whose windows are darker than the standard, and article 28 of the Decree puts the standard in numbers. The number is not “darkness” but how much light gets through (visible light transmittance). We read the articles and Annex 6 of the Decree as written.
1. 70% for the windscreen, 40% for the side windows beside the driver’s seat. Transmittance below these breaches the standard. The higher the number, the lighter the glass.
2. Rear side windows and the rear window are not covered. Decree article 28 sets only the windscreen and the side windows to the left and right of the driver’s seat.
3. A breach means a 20,000 won fine for the driver. Police can order the film removed on the spot and remove it themselves if the order is ignored.
The standard — Decree article 28
| Glass | Visible light transmittance | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Windscreen | 70 percent | Less than 70% of light passing is a breach |
| Side windows left and right of the driver’s seat | 40 percent | Less than 40% of light passing is a breach |
| Rear side and rear windows | No standard | Not covered by article 49(1)3 |
Article 49(1)3 reads: do not drive a vehicle whose visible light transmittance is lower than the standard set by presidential decree and may hinder traffic safety. Check whether a film’s advertised “30%” means transmittance or blocking. A film with 30% transmittance beside the driver’s seat falls below the 40% standard.
Exceptions — three kinds of vehicle
The proviso to the same item excludes vehicles for protecting dignitaries, ambulances and hearses. No exception is written for ordinary passenger cars.
If you breach it — fines and removal orders
| Measure | What it means | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Fine | 20,000 won on the driver (statutory ceiling 200,000 won) | Act art. 160(2)1, Decree Annex 6 item 8 |
| Removal order | An officer may order the driver on the spot to remove it or take other steps | Act art. 49(2), first sentence |
| Direct removal | If the order is ignored, the officer may remove it or take steps directly | Act art. 49(2), second sentence |
Decree article 30 sets a procedure for returning removed items, and police chiefs may recover the cost of removal, transport and storage from the owner or driver.
Annex 6 item 8 is a single line of 20,000 won for the driver, not split by vehicle type. This post covers only the Road Traffic Act’s driving standard; we did not bring in the manufacturing and inspection safety standards.
Checklist — when tinting
- ☐ Check that the number on the film spec is visible light transmittance
- ☐ Windscreen 70% or more · side windows beside the driver 40% or more
- ☐ Layering film over old film lowers transmittance further
- ☐ Bought a used car? Film the previous owner fitted is still the driver’s problem — the duty lies with the “driver”
Questions that remain
Is the front passenger window also 40%?
Decree article 28 item 2 says “side windows to the left and right of the driver’s seat,” which reads as the front side windows on both the driver’s and the passenger’s side.
Are there penalty points as well as the fine?
This breach is set as a fine under article 160(2)1 and does not appear in the Annex 8 penalty-charge table.
Sources
- Road Traffic Act [in force 1 Jul 2026] [Act No. 21246] — original text (checked 30 September 2026). Source for article 49(1)3 (standard and three exceptions), article 49(2) (removal orders and direct removal) and article 160(2)1 (fines up to 200,000 won).
- Enforcement Decree of the Road Traffic Act [in force 1 Aug 2026] [Presidential Decree No. 36114] — original text. Source for article 28 (70 and 40 percent), article 30 (return of removed items and cost recovery) and Annex 6, fines item 8 (20,000 won).
Where to check further
- Checking fines — the National Police Agency’s traffic portal (eFINE).
- Bought a used car? — used-car transfer deadline.
Written on 30 September 2026. Articles and annexes are from the National Law Information Center; the tables are ours.
