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Ultraviolet light, especially UVA, passes through ordinary side window glass. Clear UV-filtering film blocks much of that ultraviolet light without darkening the glass. Without a certificate, Pennsylvania allows film on the windshield only along the top 3 inches, and front side windows must still let in 70% or more of light, a level many factory windows are already close to. A PennDOT certificate of exemption exempts the vehicle from those location rules for colorless film that filters ultraviolet light, so the film can be installed on the windshield and side windows. The certificate is issued by PennDOT, not by a doctor, and PennDOT decides in consultation with its Medical Advisory Board.
The process involves two parts:
Some drivers ask whether a Pennsylvania medical exemption lets them install darker tint. It does not. PennDOT grants medical exemptions only for colorless sun screening material that filters ultraviolet light, and Pennsylvania law requires that material on an exempt vehicle comply with applicable federal regulations. The benefit is UV protection without darker glass. A certificate also covers a specific vehicle and becomes void when that vehicle is sold or transferred.
ForeverTint connects you with an independent licensed physician who reviews your medical history by chart review or, occasionally, a brief phone call. If you qualify, the signed physician certification is delivered by email so you can include it with your application to PennDOT for a clear UV film exemption. You submit the application yourself, and PennDOT decides whether to issue the certificate of exemption.
It’s important for all Pennsylvania drivers to understand the state’s window tint rules, even if they don’t plan to apply for a medical exemption. Pennsylvania prohibits sun screening on the windshield, side wings and side windows that does not let a person see inside the vehicle, and PennDOT’s inspection regulations set the light transmittance standards that vehicles must meet.
These limits mean that darker tint on the front side windows is not permitted in Pennsylvania, with or without a medical exemption. What a PennDOT medical certificate of exemption can allow is colorless film that filters ultraviolet light on the windshield and side windows. ForeverTint helps you find out whether you qualify for the physician certification that supports a PennDOT application. Eligibility is determined by a licensed physician based on your medical history, and PennDOT decides whether to issue the certificate.
Traditionally, getting a physician certification for a Pennsylvania UV film exemption meant making an in-person doctor’s appointment. ForeverTint moves the physician review online:
*If the physician determines you do not qualify, you receive a full refund.
An independent licensed physician decides whether your condition qualifies. Conditions a physician may consider include:
Lupus is an autoimmune disease in which ultraviolet light can trigger skin rashes, joint pain, and fatigue. Physicians commonly advise people with lupus to limit UV exposure, including the UVA light that passes through car side windows.
Porphyrias are a group of disorders in which certain compounds build up in the body and react to light, causing blistering, burning pain, and skin damage after sun exposure. Avoiding sunlight is a central part of managing the cutaneous forms.
Xeroderma pigmentosum is a rare genetic disorder that prevents the body from repairing DNA damage caused by ultraviolet light. People with XP burn after minimal sun exposure and face a greatly increased risk of skin cancers and eye damage.
People with albinism produce little or no melanin, the pigment that helps protect skin and eyes from ultraviolet light. They are highly prone to sunburn and skin damage and often experience significant light sensitivity and glare.
Photosensitivity dermatitis is an abnormal skin reaction to sunlight that can cause redness, itching, swelling, and rash on exposed skin. It can be linked to an underlying condition or to medications, and limiting UV exposure helps prevent flare-ups.
A personal history of melanoma or other skin cancers means ongoing UV exposure is a serious concern. Dermatologists routinely advise these patients to reduce sun exposure wherever possible, including time spent driving.
Some eye conditions, such as uveitis, certain retinal disorders, and sensitivity following eye surgery, cause pain or impaired vision in bright light. A licensed physician or optometrist can assess whether reducing light exposure while driving is medically necessary.
Cockayne syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that causes extreme sensitivity to sunlight, along with other developmental and health effects. Strict sun protection is part of everyday care.
Bloom syndrome is a rare inherited disorder that causes sun-sensitive skin, often with a facial rash after sun exposure, and an increased lifetime risk of cancer. Limiting UV exposure is a standard precaution.
Vitiligo causes patches of skin to lose their pigment, leaving those areas without natural protection from ultraviolet light. Depigmented skin burns easily, so physicians often recommend extra sun protection.
Some autoimmune conditions, such as dermatomyositis, cause skin and muscle symptoms that worsen with sun exposure. Certain medications used to treat autoimmune disease can also increase sensitivity to light.
Healing burns, skin grafts, and scar tissue are more vulnerable to sun damage, and UV exposure can cause scars to darken. Physicians typically advise protecting these areas from direct sunlight.
Other diagnosed conditions, including sun sensitivity caused by medications, can make sun exposure a health concern. Describe your condition during intake, and an independent licensed physician will review your medical history and decide whether darker tint is medically necessary for you.
Under 67 Pa. Code § 175.265, the application is made on a form furnished by PennDOT and contains:
If PennDOT issues a certificate of exemption, the operator must carry it in the vehicle at all times, show it to a police officer on request, and present it at the inspection station when the vehicle is inspected. The certificate becomes void when the vehicle is sold or transferred, and the seller must first remove the noncompliant material.
A physician’s note by itself is not a Pennsylvania exemption. Without a certificate of exemption issued by PennDOT, film on the windshield below the top 3 inches, or film that brings a front side window below the 70% standard, can result in a citation or a failed inspection, even if your medical condition is legitimate. A certificate does not guarantee you will not get a ticket. An officer can still give you a ticket at their own discretion.
75 Pa.C.S. § 4524(e)(1): “No person shall drive any motor vehicle with any sun screening device or other material which does not permit a person to see or view the inside of the vehicle through the windshield, side wing or side window of the vehicle.”
75 Pa.C.S. § 4524(e)(2)(ii) (exception): “A vehicle which is equipped with tinted windows, sun screening devices or other materials which comply with all applicable Federal regulations and for which a currently valid certificate of exemption for medical reasons has been issued in accordance with regulations adopted by the department.”
75 Pa.C.S. § 4524(e)(3)(ii): “(A) A certificate of exemption for medical reasons shall be issued only if the owner or registrant of the vehicle, or a person residing in the household of the owner or registrant who regularly drives or is driven in the vehicle, suffers from a physical condition determined by the department, in consultation with the Medical Advisory Board, to justify the exemption. (B) Any person requesting an exemption for medical reasons shall have his physical condition certified to the department by a licensed physician or optometrist.”
75 Pa.C.S. § 4524(e)(4): “A certificate of exemption issued under this subsection shall be carried in the vehicle and displayed on request of a police officer.”
67 Pa. Code § 175.265(d): “Upon compliance with the criteria in subsection (b)(2), the Department will issue a certificate of exemption authorizing the installation of a colorless sun screening device or other material which filters ultraviolet light.”
Source: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania – Rules and Regulations (75 Pa.C.S. § 4524(e); 67 Pa. Code Chapter 175, Subchapter O)
Yes. Pennsylvania’s medical exemption is a certificate of exemption issued by PennDOT for colorless film that filters ultraviolet light, not a doctor’s note. You apply on PennDOT’s form with your vehicle’s make, year, model and VIN and a licensed physician’s or optometrist’s certification of your condition, and PennDOT decides in consultation with its Medical Advisory Board. If issued, the certificate is carried in the vehicle.
Pennsylvania law does not list specific conditions; PennDOT, in consultation with its Medical Advisory Board, decides whether a physical condition justifies an exemption for colorless, UV-filtering film. Conditions a physician may consider include lupus, porphyria, xeroderma pigmentosum, albinism, photosensitivity dermatitis, melanoma and other skin cancers, and light-sensitive eye conditions. An independent licensed physician decides whether your condition supports a certification.
Yes. A certificate of exemption must be carried in the vehicle and shown to a police officer on request, and officers retain discretion to stop or cite a vehicle. The certificate covers colorless film that filters ultraviolet light, so darker tint can still be cited even with a certificate. A doctor’s note alone is not a PennDOT certificate.
Pennsylvania requires your physical condition to be certified to PennDOT by a licensed physician or optometrist. ForeverTint connects you with an independent licensed physician who reviews your medical history by chart review or, occasionally, a brief phone call. If you qualify, the signed certification is emailed to you, and you submit it with your application to PennDOT yourself.
No. Pennsylvania does not allow darker window tint for medical reasons; a PennDOT certificate of exemption authorizes only colorless sun screening material that filters ultraviolet light, and the material must comply with applicable federal regulations. What the certificate adds is the ability to use that clear UV film on the windshield and side windows, where Pennsylvania’s standard rules otherwise limit film.
A Pennsylvania certificate of exemption is issued for a specific vehicle, and it becomes void when that vehicle is sold or transferred. Before the sale, the owner must remove the noncompliant material, destroy the certificate, and give the buyer a notarized statement describing the removal. For a new vehicle, you would apply to PennDOT for a new certificate.
The physician review can be done online: ForeverTint connects you with an independent licensed physician who reviews your medical history by chart review or, occasionally, a brief phone call. The certificate of exemption for clear UV-filtering film still comes from PennDOT, so you submit the physician’s certification with PennDOT’s application form. PennDOT decides whether to issue the certificate.