Alabama
Alabama Windshield Mounting Laws (2026 Guide)
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited August 17, 2026). · Reviewed by the RecordingLaw editorial team. · Law checked current as of August 17, 2026. · 1 primary source cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
Alabama allows dashcam, GPS, and phone mounts on the windshield, dashboard, or center console under Section 32-5A-350.1, provided the mount does not obstruct the driver's forward view. Ala. Code 32-5-215 separately bans nontransparent material that blocks the driver's clear view of the road.
Alabama regulates windshield-mounted devices through two statutes that create an important tension. The older equipment law (Ala. Code 32-5-215) broadly prohibits nontransparent material on the windshield that obstructs the driver's view. The newer hands-free law (Section 32-5A-350.1), enforced since June 14, 2024, explicitly allows devices mounted on the windshield for hands-free use.
Alabama Windshield Obstruction Law
Ala. Code 32-5-215 provides that no person shall drive any motor vehicle with "any sign, poster, or other nontransparent material" on the windshield, side windows, or rear windows that obstructs the driver's clear view of the highway.
The statute exempts manufactured tinting and certificates, decals, or other papers required by law to be displayed.
GPS and Phone Mounts
Alabama's hands-free law (32-5A-350.1) contains two separate allowances for mounted devices, and they are not the same size.
The age-neutral one is subsection (g)(4). It covers using a device "mounted onto the dashboard, center console, windshield, or other part of the vehicle to conduct substantially hands-free voice-based wireless communications." That allowance is limited to hands-free voice communication.
The broader allowance, subsection (g)(9), applies only to "an individual 18 years of age or older." For those drivers, a device may be used in a way that requires the physical use of a hand if the device "is mounted to the vehicle, including the windshield, dashboard, or center console of the vehicle, and the device does not create an unsafe obstruction of the individual's view of the road," and the hand is used only for a single swipe or tap that does not activate the camera, video, or gaming functions. Drivers under 18 do not get that broader allowance.
This creates a practical safe harbor for phone and GPS mounts on the windshield. The safest placement is the dashboard or a low-profile position that does not block forward visibility.
Dashcam Rules
Dashcams are legal in Alabama. The hands-free law explicitly exempts "continuous recording devices" including dashcams and backup cameras from its distracted driving provisions. Mount the dashcam behind the rearview mirror or on the dashboard for the most legally secure placement.
Windshield Tinting
Under Ala. Code 32-5C-2 and its companion sections:
- Only the uppermost 6 inches of the windshield may have tinting (transparent material, not red or amber)
- Side and rear windows must allow at least 32% light transmission
- A 7-inch square in the lower corner of the front or rear windshield may contain signs, stickers, or other matter (the 32-5C-3 exceptions section)
- Medical exemptions are available through ALEA for qualifying conditions (32-5C-4)
Exemptions
| Exemption | Authority |
|---|---|
| Certificates, decals, papers required by law | 32-5-215(e) |
| Manufactured/factory tinting | 32-5-215(e) |
| Hands-free device mounts (windshield, dashboard, console) | 32-5A-350.1(g)(4) |
| Continuous recording devices (dashcams) | 32-5A-350.1(g)(5) |
| 7-inch square sticker area in lower windshield corner | 32-5C-3(2) |
| Transparent tint on uppermost 6 inches | 32-5C-3(4) |
| Law enforcement officer personal-use vehicles, occupied by the officer, who must carry law enforcement identification | 32-5C-2(b) and (c) |
| Medical exemption for tinting | 32-5C-4 |
Penalties
| Offense | Maximum Fine | Maximum Jail |
|---|---|---|
| 1st offense (within 1 year) | $100 | 10 days |
| 2nd offense (within 1 year) | $200 | 30 days |
| 3rd+ offense (within 1 year) | $500 | 3 months |
An additional $50 surcharge is assessed on all fines, with $25 going to the Traffic Safety Trust Fund.
Alabama Hands-Free Law (Enforced Since June 2024)
Alabama's hands-free law took effect on June 14, 2023, with a 12-month warning-only period; fines began June 14, 2024. Key points:
- Holding a wireless telecommunications device is an offense under 32-5A-350.1(c) only where the driver "is observed crossing in and out of a traffic lane without using a turn signal, swerving, or otherwise operating the vehicle in an impaired manner." The express primary-enforcement clause lived in the old Section 32-5A-350(d), which was repealed effective June 14, 2023 and was not carried forward into the current section.
- Hands-free calls via Bluetooth, speakerphone, or voice activation are permitted
- A driver 18 or older may touch a mounted device with a single swipe or tap under 32-5A-350.1(g)(9); a driver under 18 has only the hands-free voice allowance in (g)(4)
- Penalties: $50 (1st offense), $100 (2nd), $150 (3rd+ within 24 months)
More Alabama Laws
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I mount my phone on the windshield in Alabama?
Alabama's hands-free law (Section 32-5A-350.1, enforced since June 2024) allows a device mounted on the windshield, dashboard, or center console to be used for substantially hands-free voice communications under subsection (g)(4). Subsection (g)(9) goes further for a driver 18 years of age or older, allowing a single swipe or tap on the mounted device so long as it does not create an unsafe obstruction of the view of the road; a driver under 18 does not get that broader allowance. The safest option is a dashboard or vent-clip mount.
Are dashcams legal in Alabama?
Yes. Alabama's hands-free law explicitly exempts continuous recording devices including dashcams. Mount the camera behind the rearview mirror or on the dashboard so it does not obstruct your view.
What is the fine for windshield obstruction in Alabama?
A windshield obstruction violation is a misdemeanor with fines up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second offense within one year, and $500 for a third or subsequent offense. An additional $50 surcharge is also assessed.
Can I put stickers on my windshield in Alabama?
Alabama allows stickers in a 7-inch square area in the lower corner of the windshield. Transparent items (not red or amber) may be placed on the uppermost 6 inches. Stickers required by law (registration, etc.) are always permitted.
Does Alabama require a vehicle inspection sticker?
No. Alabama does not require periodic safety inspections for most vehicles, so there is no inspection sticker to display on the windshield.
Updates
Corrected the hands-free law's effective date to June 14, 2023, removed an inaccurate primary-enforcement claim, attributed the law enforcement tinting exemption to Ala. Code 32-5C-2(b) and (c) rather than 32-5C-3, and clarified that the broader mounted-device allowance under 32-5A-350.1(g)(9) applies only to drivers 18 and older.
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources; governing law re-checked for recent changes
Governing law re-checked for recent changes
Reviewed and approved by an editor
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Code of Alabama 1975, Title 32: Motor Vehicles and Traffic.
§ 32-5-215Windshields Must Be Unobstructed; Windshield Wipers; Tinting.In forcecited in 2 of our articles
(a) No person shall drive any motor vehicle with any sign, poster, or other nontransparent material upon the front windshield, sidewings, or side or rear windows of such vehicle which obstructs the driver’s clear view of the highway or any intersecting highway. (b) The windshield on every motor vehicle shall be equipped with a device for cleaning rain, snow, or other moisture from the windshield, which device shall be so constructed as to be controlled or operated by the driver of the vehicle. (c) Every windshield wiper upon a motor vehicle shall be maintained in good working order. (d) No person shall operate a motor vehicle which has a windshield, sidewing, or rear window which has tinting to the extent or manufactured in such a way that occupants of the vehicle cannot be easily identified or recognized through the sidewing or rear windows from outside the motor vehicle. (e) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the manufactured tinting of windshields of motor vehicles or to certificates of identification, decals, or other papers required by law to be displayed on such windshield or windows.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-07 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at alison.legislature.state.al.us
Cited in 1 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 1988
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Brown v. Gold Kist, Inc. (Supreme Court of Alabama 1988, 540 So. 2d 663)“…s negligence as a matter of law. Lang requested a charge on Ala.Code 1975, § 32-5-215(b) and (c), which require that every ve…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Alabama Dashcam Laws: Legality, Mounting Rules, and Evidence Use
§ 32-5A-350.1Operating a Motor Vehicle in a Distracted Manner; Violations; Exceptions.In force
(a) As used in this section, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) STAND-ALONE ELECTRONIC DEVICE. A device other than a wireless telecommunications device which stores audio or video data files to be retrieved on demand by a user. (2) UTILITY SERVICES. Includes electric, natural gas, water, waste-water, cable, telephone, or telecommunications services or the repair, location, relocation, improvement, or maintenance of utility poles, transmission structures, pipes, wires, fibers, cables, easements, rights of way, or associated infrastructure. (3) WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICE. A cellular telephone, portable telephone, text-messaging device, personal digital assistant, stand-alone computer, global positioning system receiver, or substantially similar portable wireless device that is used to initiate or receive communication, information, or data.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at alison.legislature.state.al.us
§ 32-5C-2Prohibitions Against Operation of Motor Vehicle Under Conditions Which Reduce Light Transmission; Exceptions.In forcecited in 2 of our articles
(a) Except as provided in this chapter, a person shall not operate a motor vehicle registered in this state under either of the following conditions: (1) With material or glazing applied or affixed to the front windshield which reduces light transmission through the front windshield. (2) With material or glazing applied or affixed to the rear windshield or the side or door windows which reduce light transmission through the rear windshield or side windows to less than 32 percent or increase light reflectance to more than 20 percent, with a measurement tolerance of at least 3 percent. The light transmission shall be measured with a device or instrument capable of measuring light transmission before a person may be charged with a violation of this section, and the officer shall be equipped with such a meter before stopping the driver. (b) This section does not apply to any personal use vehicles belonging to, and occupied by, any active or retired state, local, or federal law enforcement officer.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-01 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at alison.legislature.state.al.us
Cited in 1 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2023
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Esters v. Pettway (District Court, N.D. Alabama 2023)“…rcent, with a measurement tolerance of at least 3 percent.” Ala. Code § 32-5C-2(a). A limited exception to this prohibi…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Alabama Window Tint Laws (2026): Legal VLT Limits
§ 32-5C-3Exceptions.In forcecited in 2 of our articles
The provisions of Section 32-5C-2 shall not apply to any of the following: (1) Adjustable sun visors which are mounted forward of the side windows and are not attached to the glass. (2) Signs, stickers, or other matter which is displayed in a seven-inch square in the lower corner of the front or rear windshield. (3) Direction, destination, or termination signs upon a passenger common carrier motor vehicle if the signs do not interfere with the driver’s clear view of approaching traffic. (4) Any transparent item which is not red or amber in color which is placed on the uppermost six inches of the windshield. (5) Any federal, state, or local sticker or certificate which is required by law to be placed on any windshield or window. (6) Any other vehicle, the windows or windshields of which have been tinted or darkened before factory delivery or permitted by federal law or regulation. (7) Any motor vehicle not registered in this state.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at alison.legislature.state.al.us
Sources and References
- Ala. Code 32-5-215 - Windshields Must Be Unobstructed(law.justia.com)
- Ala. Code 32-5A-350.1 - Hands-Free Law(law.justia.com)
- Alabama Tinting Regulations - ALEA(alea.gov).gov
- Drive Safe Alabama - Hands-Free Law(drivesafealabama.org)
- Ala. Code 32-5A-350.1 - Operating a Motor Vehicle in a Distracted Manner; Violations; Exceptions (official ALISON text)(alison.legislature.state.al.us)
- Ala. Code 32-5C-2 - Prohibitions Against Operation of Motor Vehicle Under Conditions Which Reduce Light Transmission; Exceptions (official ALISON text)(alison.legislature.state.al.us)
- Ala. Code 32-5C-3 - Exceptions (official ALISON text)(alison.legislature.state.al.us)
- Ala. Code 32-5-215 - Windshields Must Be Unobstructed; Windshield Wipers; Tinting (official ALISON text)(alison.legislature.state.al.us)