Stress monitoring in thin polymer coatings was monitored using time resolved fluorescence from organic molecules. The decay time of fluorescence from an organic molecule in a uniaxially stretched polymer coating decreases with increasing tensile stress. The substance 9-methylanthracene (9-MeAn) is an effective dye for detecting internal stresses up to 10 MPa. Compared with the traditional bimetallic method, time resolved fluorescence of 9-MeAn gave reliable values for internal stresses in a thin polymer coating. The internal stress in a polymer coating cured on a glass plate was measured during exposure to an outdoor weathering test. The internal stress diminished significantly in three days. The decrease in the internal stress was caused mainly by light irradiation. Because 9-MeAn degraded in sunlight, it was a useful probe for stress monitoring only for periods less than two weeks.