Are Car Window Curtains Legal in India? What the Rules Say (2026)

Ask ten car owners whether curtains are legal and you will get ten answers. Some have used them for years without a problem, and some have been stopped for a single panel. The confusion comes from the fact that no rule mentions curtains by name. What the law does cover is how much you can block your windows, and that decides how you should use curtains.

DriveCult sells magnetic curtains, so we have an interest here. That is exactly why we want buyers to use them in a way that does not get them fined. This is general information, not legal advice.

What the 2012 Supreme Court order says

In April 2012, in Avishek Goenka v. Union of India, the Supreme Court barred the use of black film or any other material on the safety glass, windscreen and side windows of vehicles. The aim was visibility and safety: the police and other road users should be able to see into a car, and the driver should be able to see out. The order is the reason dark film disappeared from Indian cars, and it is the order police point to when they fine curtains or shades.

What Rule 100 says about light

Rule 100 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules sets how much light the glass must let through. The windscreen and rear window need at least 70% visual light transmission, and the side windows need at least 50%. Anything that takes a window below those levels while the car is being driven is a problem.

Where sun film stands now

Film has partly come back. Since 2021 the rules have recognised safety glazing that meets IS 2553 (Part 2) 2019, and in 2024 the Kerala High Court held that film certified to that standard and within the Rule 100 limits is allowed and should not be fined. That covers film only, and only film light enough to meet the limits. It says nothing about curtains.

So where do curtains fit?

Curtains are not film, they are not stuck to the glass, and you can take them off. That puts them in a grey area. A strict reading of the 2012 order covers any material that blocks visibility, and some cities have run drives that fined curtains along with dark film. A practical reading looks at whether the driver's view is blocked while the car is moving. Enforcement depends a lot on the state, the city and the officer.

How to use curtains without trouble

• Keep the windscreen and the driver's and front passenger's windows clear whenever the car is moving.
• Use the rear curtains for children and passengers on long drives, and take them down if a traffic officer asks.
• Put every curtain up when the car is parked. That is when they keep the cabin coolest and there is no visibility issue.
• Choose curtains you can remove quickly. Magnetic panels come off in seconds; glued or screwed shades do not.
• Do not combine curtains with dark film that is already below the legal light limits.

The bottom line

No rule bans curtains by name, but the law does protect visibility through the windscreen and front windows while you drive. Use curtains for rear passengers and for parking, keep the front clear on the move, and you get the shade and privacy without the argument. If you are weighing film against curtains, our comparison of curtains, film and roller shades goes through the trade-offs, and our fitting guide shows how quickly magnetic panels come on and off. See the magnetic curtains made for your car.