Latest update April 7th, 2026 12:30 AM
$75,000 fine for illegal vehicle tint after Dec. 31
(Kaieteur News) – After December 31, Guyanese motorists will face strict penalties including a $75,000 fine, if they are found in violation of the country’s new tint regulations.
This was announced by Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond during a programme on the Department of Public Information (DPI) Facebook page on Sunday.
The minister announced last week that drivers are now allowed to have up to a 35 per cent light penetration on their vehicles without a waiver issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Example of a heavily tinted vehicle that is not in compliance with new tint policy.
This measure, the minister said, will apply across the board. However, restricted waivers for high security categories are to be introduced. The first and second categories will be strictly applied to diplomats, government officials, high profile security related persons and other specific categories expressly approved by the Minister of Home Affairs.
The minister stated that drivers will be given a grace period until December 31 to bring their vehicles into compliance.
During Sunday’s programme, Minister Oneidge Walrond outlined what Guyanese can expect as the country moves toward strict enforcement of its new tint policy. She explained that police officers will soon be equipped with tint meters to conduct on-the-spot checks. “For one, there will be tint meters, every police officer will have specific meters to test your tint on the spot and if you are found not be in compliance then they will be heavily fined, $75,000 being levelled for not having your tint in compliance,” Walrond said.
The minister added that the relevant amendments and enforcement penalties will be brought before parliament. “We will outline the compliance, the categories of persons that will be exempt from the policy—such as diplomats, government officials, [and] security. It outlines how enforcement will be rolled out, in terms of the tint meter, how that is going to be executed, the fine, [and] the period for the fine. Most of it has already been drafted with a few adjustments,” she stated.
Walrond also clarified that all motor vehicles will be required to maintain 70 per cent light penetration on their front windshields. “It is lighter than the 35 per cent, but it certainly offers protection. It is not safe to have a heavily tinted front windshield, which we have seen as well. We are trying to make the system fair across the board so that it applies to everyone equally and fairly,” she explained.
She further noted that the Guyana Police Force is expected to delay enforcement until after the grace period ends, ensuring citizens have time to comply. “So, this is just one in a slew of different measures that we are implementing to respond to public sentiment, to make our citizens’ lives less burdensome, and to make them less open to bad actors and people who would want to behave unscrupulously—to take advantage of the system,” Walrond said
Last week, in a short Facebook live stream via her Facebook page, Minister Walrond said that it was observed that there was an exponential increase in requests for tint waivers with simultaneous complaints in relation to “unscrupulous practices and individuals” who are abusing the current system in place.
She said it had become clear that the system is burdensome, inconsistent and vulnerable to manipulation. The minister disclosed that after taking this into consideration, a comprehensive evaluation of the system was conducted in addition to consultations with the GPF and technical expert.
It was decided that, “There will be the introduction of three clearly defined tint waiver categories based on assessed risk profiles in the interest of equity and to eliminate administrative delays, there will be a universal provision for basic tint without waiver, which stipulates that all motor vehicles will now be allowed tint with no less than 35 per cent light penetration.”
This measure, the minister said, will apply across the board and does not require a waiver. Nevertheless, restricted waivers for high security categories are to be introduced. The first and second categories will be strictly applied to diplomats, government officials, high profile security.
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