[chelci]

I live in Madison and want to get my car windows tinted. I found this link which lists the state window tinting laws....
Window Tint Laws in the United States
But want to go darker than that. I'm wondering how strict the local law enforcement is about window tinting? Has anybody had experience with this?

[Threestep]

Do you expect advise on how to break the law here?

[bluebeard]

If you tint the front window as dark or darker, it should be fine, cuz then the cops can't see you.

[skinem]

If you do tint it so dark that the cops can't see you, expect to be approached with guns drawn...'cause they can't see you!

[Cyborg13]

I have front and back side windows at 3%, and have been stopped once in 3½ years for it. I have sat next to cops at intersections and driven around them elsewhere, and they either did not notice or care. From my experience enforcement is pretty lax, but the vast majority of my driving has been in New Mexico and Arizona. Can't say for sure how it is in Alabama on a regular basis, but I have been through there once and had no issues.

[Ynot]

Legal tinting is fine, cuts glare and sun exposure plenty, which is the reason for tinting. To have them any darker will only interfere with your visibility in both directions and appear you're trying to hide.

We live in Alabama, had our windows tinted to legal standards. Were stopped in GA (GA & AL have same legal tint laws) and the tint was measured. It was legal, the cop that stopped said it looked darker, but it's a white car and he thought that might have made it look darker. Bottom line, out tint is legal.

Now you might think you won't have to worry about getting stopped, but a lot of drunks probably thought that too at one time or another. Thing is, are you ready to have your tint job stripped off your car at your expense? Talk about a big waste of money, but you can certainly take your dollar and place your bet....

[eagle7]

Originally Posted by Ynot

Legal tinting is fine, cuts glare and sun exposure plenty, which is the reason for tinting. To have them any darker will only interfere with your visibility in both directions and appear you're trying to hide.

We live in Alabama, had our windows tinted to legal standards. Were stopped in GA (GA & AL have same legal tint laws) and the tint was measured. It was legal, the cop that stopped said it looked darker, but it's a white car and he thought that might have made it look darker. Bottom line, out tint is legal.

Now you might think you won't have to worry about getting stopped, but a lot of drunks probably thought that too at one time or another. Thing is, are you ready to have your tint job stripped off your car at your expense? Talk about a big waste of money, but you can certainly take your dollar and place your bet....

Stripping tint off is quite easy. It took me 5 mins to strip the illegal tint on my front side windows. It cost me $25.00 (fix it ticket) & im not going to retint. I did though get by for 6 yrs in so.ca with no problem. A rookie cop ticketed me.

[Back Again]

Originally Posted by eagle7

Stripping tint off is quite easy. It took me 5 mins to strip the illegal tint on my front side windows. It cost me $25.00 (fix it ticket) & im not going to retint. I did though get by for 6 yrs in so.ca with no problem. A rookie cop ticketed me.

Yes, but you got your use out of your tinting by helping with the California sun and got 6 years out of it. However, if "chelci" spends the money to have it tinted, just to be cool looking, and just so happens to get a ticket the next day, next week or next month, or even a year later, that is the expence that "Ynot" is talking about.

I do not think it is worth it to go beyond what the law allows.

[eagle7]

Originally Posted by Back Again

Yes, but you got your use out of your tinting by helping with the California sun and got 6 years out of it. However, if "chelci" spends the money to have it tinted, just to be cool looking, and just so happens to get a ticket the next day, next week or next month, or even a year later, that is the expence that "Ynot" is talking about.

I do not think it is worth it to go beyond what the law allows.

I agree. States/cities/counties are cracking down now. There is no limit to the number of tickets you can get for illegal tint. It could get quite expensive. I know a few people who got ticketed 2xs in one month. When you get a ticket you're suppose to remove tint right away. A ticket does not give you a grace period.

[bluebeard]

Originally Posted by skinem

If you do tint it so dark that the cops can't see you, expect to be approached with guns drawn...'cause they can't see you!

that just means you haven't tinted them dark enough so that you're invisible