Washington Windshield Mounting Laws (2026 Guide)

Washington allows dashcams, GPS units, and phone mounts on the windshield as long as the device does not obstruct the driver's clear view. RCW 46.37.410 prohibits any nontransparent material, including a mounted device, that obstructs the driver's clear view of the highway; the statute sets no dimensional size limit for mounted devices.

Washington state regulates windshield-mounted devices through RCW 46.37.410, which prohibits nontransparent materials that obstruct the driver's view. The state sets no dimensional size limit for a mounted device by statute, and it has a strict hands-free electronic device law. This guide covers every aspect of Washington's windshield mounting restrictions.

Washington Windshield Obstruction Law (RCW 46.37.410)

Under RCW 46.37.410, no person may drive any motor vehicle with any sign, poster, or other nontransparent material upon the front windshield, side wings, or side or rear windows of such vehicle that obstructs the driver's clear view of the highway or any intersecting highway.

The statute applies to all motor vehicles operated on public highways in Washington. Every motor vehicle must be equipped with a front windshield manufactured of safety glazing materials in accordance with RCW 46.37.430. Vehicles without windshields require the operator to wear glasses, goggles, or face shields.

The law also requires every motor vehicle windshield to be equipped with a device for cleaning rain, snow, or other moisture, controllable by the driver.

Windshield-Mounted Device Rules

Washington does not set a dimensional size limit for windshield-mounted devices. The only statutory standard under RCW 46.37.410 is functional: nontransparent material, including a mounted device, may not obstruct the driver's clear view of the highway.

This obstruction standard applies to the device's full footprint, including any mounting bracket or suction cup. A device large enough, or positioned so, that it blocks the driver's clear view may be cited as a windshield obstruction regardless of its exact size.

Forward Obstruction Rule (WAC 204-10-024)

WAC 204-10-024 sets a forward-obstruction standard: no obstruction forward of the windshield may extend more than 2 inches upward into the horizontally forward projected vision area of the windshield. The rule sits in chapter 204-10 WAC, titled "Equipment standards," which the Washington State Patrol adopted under WAC 204-10-010 "by authority of RCW 46.37.005, 46.37.320, 46.37.400, and 46.37.530(1)(b)" to set "standards for motor vehicle equipment for which approval is required in chapter 46.37 RCW."

The only exceptions the rule names are windshield wiper components and hood ornaments identical to those originally installed by a recognized manufacturer.

How far this standard reaches is unresolved. Neither WAC 204-10-024 nor the chapter's scope section limits the standard to any particular class of vehicle; the chapter covers ordinary equipment categories such as brakes, steering, mirrors and exhaust, and the windows rule speaks in general terms about a vehicle and its operator. At the same time, Washington runs no periodic safety-inspection program for ordinary passenger cars, so there is no routine checkpoint at which the 2-inch measurement would be applied to a factory-built vehicle. Treat it as a published equipment standard whose roadside application to an ordinary car's dashcam or GPS mount is an open question, and treat the statutory clear-view test in RCW 46.37.410 as the rule you will actually be measured against.

GPS and Phone Mount Rules

Washington does not have a specific statute that authorizes or prohibits GPS or phone mounts by name. These devices fall under the general obstruction standard of RCW 46.37.410, which sets no dimensional size limit.

A GPS or phone mount is legal wherever it does not obstruct the driver's clear view of the highway. Mounting a large tablet or oversized device in the direct line of sight is more likely to obstruct that view and result in a citation, regardless of the device's exact dimensions.

The safest placement options in Washington are:

• A compact mount kept out of the driver's line of sight
• A dashboard mount that does not extend into the windshield area
• A vent clip mount that keeps the device off the windshield entirely
• Behind the rearview mirror if the device does not obstruct the driver's view

Hands-Free Interaction

Washington's distracted driving law (RCW 46.61.672) is one of the strictest in the country. It is illegal to hold a personal electronic device while driving, including when the vehicle is stopped in traffic or at a red light.

Drivers may use a mounted device with only a single touch or swipe to start an app, such as navigation or music. Beyond that single touch, all interaction must be voice-controlled or through the vehicle's built-in system.

The penalties for violating the hands-free law are separate from windshield obstruction fines:

These fines are reported to insurance companies and can affect insurance rates.

Dashcam Placement

Washington does not have a specific dashcam statute. Dashcams are subject to the same rules as any other windshield-mounted device under RCW 46.37.410.

A dashcam must not obstruct the driver's clear view of the highway; Washington sets no dimensional size limit for it. The most common and legally compliant placement is behind the rearview mirror, where the camera is largely hidden from the driver's sightline.

Dashboard-mounted cameras that do not attach to the windshield are not subject to windshield obstruction rules.

Audio Recording

Washington is a two-party consent state for audio recording. If your dashcam records audio inside the vehicle, all occupants must consent to the recording. A dashcam that records video only does not require consent. Many drivers post a small notice in the vehicle informing passengers that audio and video recording is in progress.

Obstructions to Driver's View (RCW 46.61.615)

Washington has a separate statute, RCW 46.61.615, that addresses obstructions to the driver's view from vehicle loading or excess passengers. No person may drive a vehicle when it is so loaded, or when there are more than three persons in the front seat, such that the driver's view to the front or sides is obstructed or the driver's control over the driving mechanism is interfered with.

This statute carries its own base fine of $48. Neither IRLJ 6.2's penalty schedule nor RCW 46.63.110 provides for an accident-triggered increase to this fine.

Windshield Tinting

Washington regulates window tinting under RCW 46.37.430. The windshield itself is excluded from the general 24% VLT standard; along the top 6 inches, the statute requires only that the film stay transparent, with no numeric minimum. Below that strip, the windshield must remain clear.

Front side windows must allow at least 24% visible light transmission (VLT). For an ordinary passenger car, rear side windows and the rear window must also meet that 24% VLT standard; only vehicles the manufacturer identifies as a truck, motor home, or multipurpose passenger vehicle, along with hearses, collector vehicles, limousines, buses-for-hire, ambulances, and rescue squad vehicles, may go darker than 24% on windows behind the driver.

A vehicle with illegal window tinting may fail its vehicle inspection and will be cited separately from any windshield obstruction violation.

When Washington Does Inspect Windshields

Washington does not have a periodic safety-inspection program for ordinary passenger vehicles, so a standard car's windshield-mounted dashcam or GPS unit is not checked on a schedule. In practice the check happens at a traffic stop, when an officer sees a device sitting in the driver's sightline. The Washington State Patrol publishes the equipment requirements a vehicle has to meet. The windshield standards that can be raised are:

• The windshield is free of cracks, chips, or damage that impairs visibility
• No nontransparent material obstructs the driver's view
• Windshield wipers are functional and controlled by the driver
• No forward obstruction extends more than 2 inches into the projected vision area, under the WAC 204-10-024 standard discussed above

Because there is no inspection appointment to fail, the practical consequence of a windshield obstruction in Washington is a traffic infraction rather than a blocked registration step.

Penalties for Violations

Windshield obstruction under RCW 46.37.410 is classified as a traffic infraction under Washington law.

Traffic infractions in Washington do not carry jail time or criminal penalties. However, multiple equipment violations may result in a vehicle being ordered off the road until repairs are made.

Exemptions

More Washington Laws

• Washington Recording Laws
• Washington Lemon Laws
• Washington Hit and Run Laws
• Washington Car Seat Laws

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I mount a GPS or phone on my windshield in Washington?

Yes. Washington sets no dimensional size limit for windshield-mounted devices. RCW 46.37.410 only requires that the device not obstruct your clear view of the highway. Dashboard and vent clip mounts avoid windshield restrictions entirely.

Are dashcams legal in Washington state?

Yes. Dashcams are legal as long as they do not obstruct the driver's view; Washington sets no dimensional size limit for windshield-mounted devices. The most common legal placement is behind the rearview mirror. Note that Washington is a two-party consent state for audio recording, so all vehicle occupants must consent if your dashcam records audio.

What is the fine for windshield obstruction in Washington?

The base fine for a windshield obstruction violation under RCW 46.37.410 is $48, per Washington's monetary penalty schedule for infractions. This is a traffic infraction with no jail time or criminal penalties.

Can I use my phone for GPS navigation while driving in Washington?

You may use a mounted phone for navigation, but Washington's hands-free law (RCW 46.61.672) limits your interaction to a single touch or swipe to start the app. All other interaction must be voice-controlled. Holding the phone while driving is illegal, even at red lights. First-offense fines are $136.

Does Washington have a windshield tint law?

Yes. RCW 46.37.430 excludes the windshield from its 24% VLT standard; the top 6 inches may be tinted as long as the film stays transparent, with no numeric minimum set by statute. Below that line, the windshield must remain clear. Front side windows must allow at least 24% light transmission, and on an ordinary passenger car, so must the rear windows; only trucks, motor homes, multipurpose passenger vehicles, hearses, collector vehicles, limousines, buses-for-hire, ambulances, and rescue squad vehicles may go darker than 24% behind the driver.