Will a cracked windshield pass inspection in NC? It is one of the most searched windshield questions in North Carolina, and page one of Google gives few clear answers. This guide answers it from the statutes and NCDOT’s own rules, then covers the other North Carolina laws that touch your windshield and windows: wipers, safety glass, tint, the 2025 change to inspections, and covered gravel loads. Each point has its source under it, so you can read the text yourself.
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This is a plain-language summary of published rules as read in October 2026, not legal advice. Laws change; check the current text before relying on it.
What the NC safety inspection checks
North Carolina’s safety inspection statute, G.S. 20-183.3, lists the equipment that is inspected: brakes, lights, horn, steering, ‘Windshield wipers, as required by G.S. 20-127(a)’, directional signals, tires, mirrors, and exhaust and emissions devices. NCDOT’s own list of inspected items matches it: headlights, accessory lights, directional signals, foot brake, parking brake, steering, tires, horn, rearview mirror, windshield wipers, exhaust system and emission control components.
Source: G.S. 20-183.3, NC General Assembly and NCDOT, safety inspections.
The windshield glass is not on either list. Only the wipers are. NCDOT says a North Carolina registered vehicle must pass an annual safety inspection before its owner can renew the registration, and vehicles more than thirty years old are exempt.
The short answer
NC’s annual safety inspection checks your wipers, not the glass itself, and no North Carolina statute or inspection rule sets a crack size for a windshield. But a crack in your line of sight is still a safety problem, and if you are unsure how a station will treat your car, ask the station before the inspection.
The wiper rule inspectors use
Because the wipers are what is inspected at the windshield, the wiper rule is the one that matters on inspection day. NCDOT’s inspection rule, 19A NCAC 03D .0536, says wipers ‘shall not be approved if’ the vehicle has a windshield but no wiper, the wipers ‘do not operate freely’, the driver cannot reach the controls, they are ‘not adequate to clean rain, snow and other matter from the windshield’, or ‘Parts of blades or arms are missing or show evidence of damage.’
Source: 19A NCAC 03D .0536, NCDOT rule text.
So before an inspection, look at the blades and arms. Torn or perished rubber, a bent arm, or wipers that smear instead of clearing the glass are what the rule names.
Wipers on the road: G.S. 20-127(a)
Away from the inspection station, the same requirement applies every day. G.S. 20-127(a) says a vehicle with a windshield ‘shall have a windshield wiper to clear rain or other substances from the windshield in front of the driver’ and that it ‘shall be in good working order.’ (Some sources cite G.S. 20-124 for wipers; that section is the brakes statute.)
Source: G.S. 20-127 and G.S. 20-124.
Safety glass is required: G.S. 20-135
North Carolina requires safety glass. G.S. 20-135 makes it unlawful to knowingly operate a North Carolina registered vehicle made on or after January 1, 1936 unless it has ‘safety glass wherever glass is used in doors, windows, windshields, wings or partitions.’ Every replacement windshield and window has to meet that, which is one reason we order glass for your exact vehicle by VIN.
Source: G.S. 20-135.
Can you drive with a cracked windshield in NC?
We found no North Carolina statute or inspection rule that mentions windshield cracks, chips or a size limit. G.S. 20-183.3, G.S. 20-127, G.S. 20-135 and 19A NCAC 03D .0536 say nothing about cracks. That does not make a cracked windshield safe. A crack in front of the driver makes the road harder to read, especially at night and in rain, and a crack weakens glass that is part of how the car protects you: the Auto Glass Safety Council says the windshield and side glass are part of the vehicle’s passenger restraint system, must be installed properly for airbags to deploy safely and effectively, and that the windshield aids in occupant retention.
Source: AGSC, proper auto glass replacement.
If the damage is a chip or a short crack, a repair is usually quick; see windshield repair in Raleigh. If it is long or at the edge, see windshield replacement in Raleigh.
Window tint: what NC allows
Tint rules are in G.S. 20-127(b) to (g). On the windshield, tint is allowed only along the top, no more than five inches below the top of the windshield or below the AS1 line, whichever is longer. A clear UV-blocking film that does not obstruct vision is allowed. On other windows, the total light transmission must be at least 35 percent, and a light meter reading over 32 percent is ‘conclusively presumed’ to comply. Reflectance must be 20 percent or less, and red, yellow and amber film is not allowed.
The 35 percent rule has exceptions, including windows behind the driver on multipurpose vehicles such as minivans and pickups, limousines, and medical exception permits. The windshield rule has no exceptions. A violation is a Class 3 misdemeanor under G.S. 20-127(d). The newer G.S. 20-127(g) says a driver with tinted windows ‘shall roll down the driver side window upon the approach of a law enforcement officer’, or the passenger window if the officer approaches from that side.
Source: G.S. 20-127.
The 2025 change: tint is no longer inspected
The General Assembly’s summary of Senate Bill 391 says: ‘Section 22 of S.L. 2025-47 (Senate Bill 391) eliminates inspection of window tint from vehicle safety inspection requirements.’ It took effect on December 1, 2025. The tint limits in G.S. 20-127 still apply on the road; they are simply not checked at the annual inspection any more. Our article on NC window tint rules explains what that means when you replace tinted glass.
Source: NC General Assembly, S.L. 2025-47 summary.
Covered loads and flying stones: G.S. 20-116(g)
Most windshield damage around Raleigh starts with a stone. North Carolina law says no vehicle may be driven on a highway unless it is loaded to prevent any of its load ‘from falling, blowing, dropping, sifting, leaking, or otherwise escaping’. Trucks over 7,500 pounds gross vehicle weight carrying ‘rock, gravel, stone’ must keep the load six inches below the walls and have it ‘securely covered by tarpaulin or some other suitable covering’.
Source: G.S. 20-116. Our article on gravel trucks and rock chips covers what to do after a stone hits.
Insurance law that touches your windshield
Two insurance rules round this out. Comprehensive coverage pays for ‘Breakage of glass’ less any deductible, and North Carolina has no law waiving the deductible for glass. And G.S. 58-3-180 says your policy must let you select the repair service, with the same payment whichever you choose. Both are explained on our insurance and claims page.
Sources: NCDOI, auto coverages and G.S. 58-3-180.
| Rule | What it covers | Checked at inspection? |
|---|---|---|
| G.S. 20-183.3 | The list of inspected equipment | It is the list |
| G.S. 20-127(a) and 19A NCAC 03D .0536 | Windshield wipers | Yes |
| G.S. 20-135 | Safety glass in windshields and windows | Not on the inspection list |
| G.S. 20-127(b) to (g) | Window tint | No, since December 1, 2025 |
| G.S. 20-116(g) | Covered gravel and stone loads | Not an inspection item |
| G.S. 58-3-180 | Your choice of repair shop | Not an inspection item |
Crack in the glass before your inspection is due? Call Impex Auto Glass in Raleigh.
Questions people ask
Will a cracked windshield pass inspection in NC?
The NC safety inspection under G.S. 20-183.3 checks the windshield wipers, not the glass, and no NC statute or inspection rule sets a crack size. The wipers must work freely and clean the glass. A crack in your line of sight is still a safety problem, so ask the station if you are unsure.
What is the law on cracked windshields in NC?
There is no NC statute that sets a crack size. Safety glass is required by G.S. 20-135, and a working wiper by G.S. 20-127(a).
Is window tint still checked at NC inspections?
No. S.L. 2025-47 removed window tint from the safety inspection from December 1, 2025. The tint limits in G.S. 20-127 still apply on the road.
How dark can my windows be in NC?
Windows other than the windshield need at least 35 percent total light transmission and 20 percent or less reflectance, with exceptions such as windows behind the driver on minivans and pickups. Windshield tint is allowed only along the top, down to five inches or the AS1 line.
Does a truck have to cover a gravel load in NC?
Yes. Under G.S. 20-116(g), trucks over 7,500 pounds carrying rock, gravel or stone must keep the load six inches below the walls and securely covered.
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