Strict enforcement of new tint laws begins Wednesday as police warn ‘no discretion’ will be applied

With hours remaining before updated vehicle tint regulations come into full effect, Traffic Chief Mahendra Singh is warning motorists to comply or face court action once enforcement begins on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.

The Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic (Tint) Regulations 2025 will be fully enforced in just hours, bringing an end to the grace period that allowed drivers time to adjust their vehicle tint to meet the new legal requirements.

In a recent interview with the News Room, Singh made it clear that authorities have already taken steps to give motorists ample opportunity to comply and will now move to strict enforcement.

He stressed that once the legislation takes effect, motorists should not expect leniency.

“My expectation of the public is that when you didn’t have legislation governing tint to make it lawful, now you have it, you cannot expect that we would just allow it to go,” Singh said.

Singh underscored that enforcement will be applied uniformly across the country.

“Enforcement will be as strict as possible… we will enforce it,” he said.

Motorists who remain in breach of the law after the deadline will be charged and taken before the court, Singh warned, adding that investigations will also extend to businesses installing illegal tint.

“They will charge you and place you before the court and it doesn’t stop there… we will be enquiring where you install the tint and then it goes back to the ones who own or operate that tint shop,” Singh said.

He emphasised that officers will have no discretion in applying the law and that any failure by police ranks to enforce the regulations will be dealt with internally.

“It’s court at the end of the day… no discretion is allowed to a police man or woman… any bias by the police man or woman or neglect of his duty, it will be investigated departmentally and they will be charged,” Singh told the News Room.

With the deadline looming, authorities have repeatedly urged drivers to ensure their vehicles meet the required standards before enforcement begins. Under the updated regulations, front side windows for drivers and passengers must allow 25% Visible Light Transmission (VLT), while rear windows must allow 20% VLT. Front windshields are only permitted to have a top visor strip at 25% VLT, and no additional tint is allowed on the windshield beyond that strip.

Drivers who are unsure whether their vehicles are compliant can visit police stations across the country, many of which are equipped with tint meters for testing.

The penalty for non-compliance is $30,000 per infraction, not per window, and drivers found in breach will be charged.

Certain categories of persons may qualify for tint waivers, including members of the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Defence Force, licensed security agencies, emergency services, diplomatic officials, individuals with certified medical conditions requiring reduced exposure to sunlight, and businesses engaged in high-risk cash handling or security-sensitive operations.

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