Georgia Windshield Mounting Laws (2026 Guide)
Georgia is one of the more permissive states when it comes to windshield-mounted devices. A 2021 amendment to the state's windshield statute explicitly legalized mounts for phones, GPS units, and other electronic devices on the front windshield, provided they do not significantly block the driver's view.
This page covers the specific statutes governing what you can and cannot place on your windshield in Georgia, including device mounts, stickers, tinting, and dashcams.
Georgia Windshield Obstruction Law (O.C.G.A. 40-8-73)
O.C.G.A. 40-8-73 is the primary statute governing windshields in Georgia. It establishes two core rules.
First, every motor vehicle operated on Georgia roads must have a windshield made of safety glass. The windshield must be free of discoloration or other conditions that impair the driver's ability to see clearly.
Second, no driver may operate a vehicle with any sign, poster, or other nontransparent material on the front windshield, side windows, or rear windows if it obstructs the driver's clear view of the highway or any intersecting highway.
The statute also requires that every motor vehicle equipped with a windshield also have a windshield wiper in good working condition.
The 2021 Amendment (HB 165)
Georgia House Bill 165, signed into law on April 28, 2021 and effective July 1, 2021, added a critical proviso to O.C.G.A. 40-8-73(a). The amendment states that a person may drive a motor vehicle with a mount for the support of a wireless telecommunications device or stand-alone electronic device upon the front windshield, provided that the mount is located on the windshield in a manner that minimizes obstruction of the driver's view.
This was a direct response to Georgia's Hands-Free Law (O.C.G.A. 40-6-241), which took effect in 2018. The Hands-Free Law requires drivers to use hands-free methods to operate their phones, and windshield mounts are one of the approved methods. Before HB 165, there was a legal contradiction: the Hands-Free Law encouraged windshield mounts, but the windshield obstruction statute technically prohibited them.
The 2021 amendment resolved that conflict.
GPS and Phone Mounts
Windshield-mounted GPS devices and phone holders are legal in Georgia under the 2021 amendment to O.C.G.A. 40-8-73. The law does not specify exact placement dimensions for device mounts. Instead, it uses the standard that the mount must minimize obstruction of the driver's view.
Best practices for mounting a device on your windshield in Georgia include placing the mount in the lower portion of the windshield, keeping the device as close to the dashboard as practical, and choosing a mount that does not extend far into the driver's primary line of sight.
Connection to the Hands-Free Law
O.C.G.A. 40-6-241 prohibits drivers from physically holding or supporting a wireless telecommunications device while operating a vehicle. The law allows device use only through an earpiece, wrist device, the vehicle's Bluetooth system, or a mounted phone holder.
Because the Hands-Free Law effectively requires a mount for most drivers, the legislature ensured that windshield mounts are explicitly permitted under the equipment statute.
Penalties under the Hands-Free Law are separate from windshield obstruction penalties. A first offense carries a fine up to $50 and one point on your license. A second offense within 24 months is up to $100 and two points. A third or subsequent offense is up to $150 and three points.
Dashcam Mounting Rules
Georgia does not have a specific statute addressing dashcams or video event recorders. A dashcam falls under the general provisions of O.C.G.A. 40-8-73 as a windshield-mounted device.
Under the 2021 amendment, a dashcam qualifies as a "stand-alone electronic device" and is permitted on the windshield as long as it minimizes obstruction of the driver's view. The safest placement is behind the rearview mirror, where it occupies space already blocked from the driver's line of sight.
Georgia is a one-party consent state for audio recording under O.C.G.A. 16-11-62, so a dashcam that records audio inside the vehicle is legal as long as at least one person in the car knows about the recording.
Sticker and Decal Placement Zones
While device mounts follow a "minimize obstruction" standard, stickers and nontransparent materials on the windshield are governed by stricter placement rules under O.C.G.A. 40-8-73.1.
Georgia allows stickers and nontransparent materials in two specific windshield zones:
| Zone | Size | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger side | 7-inch square | Lower corner of the windshield farthest from the driver |
| Driver side | 5-inch square | Lower corner of the windshield nearest the driver |
These zones are for items like registration stickers, parking permits, toll transponders, and inspection decals. Any sticker placed outside these zones, or that exceeds these dimensions, violates the statute.
Other Permitted Windshield Items
O.C.G.A. 40-8-73.1 also exempts the following items from the tinting and obstruction restrictions:
- Adjustable sun visors mounted forward of the side windows (not attached to the glass)
- Any transparent item that is not red or amber in color placed on the uppermost six inches of the windshield
- Direction, destination, or termination signs on passenger common carrier vehicles, provided they do not interfere with the driver's view
- Any federal, state, or local sticker or certificate required by law
Windshield Tinting
Georgia regulates windshield tinting under O.C.G.A. 40-8-73.1. The key rules for windshield tint are as follows.
The front windshield may not have any aftermarket tinting applied to the glass below the AS-1 line (the top of the windshield). A transparent, non-red, non-amber strip on the uppermost six inches is permitted.
Front side windows must allow more than 32% of light to pass through. Rear side windows and the rear windshield must allow more than 32% of light in as well.
Medical Exemption
Georgia does offer a medical exemption for window tinting. Under O.C.G.A. 40-8-73.1, the Department of Public Safety may issue an exemption for any person who, for medical reasons, must be shielded from direct sunlight. The applicant must provide written attestation from a licensed physician or certified optometrist.
The exemption applies to any motor vehicle owned by the applicant or in which the applicant is a habitual passenger.
Toll Transponders and E-ZPass
Toll transponders such as Peach Pass (Georgia's electronic toll collection system) are permitted on the windshield. These devices fall within the exemptions for items required by law or authorized by state agencies.
Peach Pass transponders are typically mounted on the upper-center portion of the windshield, near the rearview mirror. This placement is consistent with both the sticker zone rules and the general obstruction prohibition.
Penalties for Violations
| Violation | Statute | Classification | Maximum Fine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windshield obstruction (device mount) | O.C.G.A. 40-8-73 | Misdemeanor | $1,000 |
| Illegal windshield tinting | O.C.G.A. 40-8-73.1 | Misdemeanor | $1,000 |
| Hands-Free Law (first offense) | O.C.G.A. 40-6-241 | N/A | $50 + 1 point |
| Hands-Free Law (second within 24 months) | O.C.G.A. 40-6-241 | N/A | $100 + 2 points |
| Hands-Free Law (third+ within 24 months) | O.C.G.A. 40-6-241 | N/A | $150 + 3 points |
For windshield obstruction and tinting violations, Georgia classifies these as misdemeanors under O.C.G.A. 17-10-3, which allows a fine up to $1,000, up to 12 months in jail, or both. In practice, most windshield violations result in a fine and no jail time.
A first-time Hands-Free Law violator who appears in court and produces a hands-free device (or proof of purchase of one) may have the charge dismissed entirely.
Commercial Vehicles
Commercial motor vehicles operating in Georgia are subject to both state and federal windshield regulations. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (49 CFR 393.60) prohibit any obstruction that reduces the driver's field of view through the windshield.
Commercial drivers should be aware that windshield-mounted GPS devices and electronic logging devices (ELDs) must not obstruct the driver's view. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recommends mounting these devices as low as possible on the windshield or on the dashboard.
Recent Changes
The most significant recent change to Georgia's windshield mounting laws was the 2021 amendment (HB 165) that legalized device mounts. No additional amendments to O.C.G.A. 40-8-73 or O.C.G.A. 40-8-73.1 were enacted during the 2024 or 2025 legislative sessions.
Georgia's Hands-Free Law continues to be actively enforced. The Governor's Office of Highway Safety regularly conducts enforcement campaigns targeting distracted driving, making a properly mounted phone or GPS device important for avoiding both obstruction and hands-free violations.
More Georgia Laws
Sources and References
- O.C.G.A. 40-8-73 - Windshields, windows, and windshield wipers(law.justia.com)
- O.C.G.A. 40-8-73.1 - Tinting of windows or windshields(law.justia.com)
- O.C.G.A. 40-6-241 - Distracted driving; hands-free restrictions(law.justia.com)
- Georgia Department of Driver Services - Traffic Laws and Safe Driving(dds.georgia.gov).gov
- HB 165 - Georgia House (2021-22 Session)(openstates.org)
- O.C.G.A. 16-11-62 - Georgia recording and eavesdropping statute(law.justia.com)
- O.C.G.A. 17-10-3 - Punishment for misdemeanors(law.justia.com)