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I am moving to the Washington, DC area (Hyattsville, MD specifically) this week and I have pretty dark window tint on my car. It's 15% all the way around. I'm coming from Florida where the tint laws aren't really enforced but I'm wondering if I am going to have problems with getting pulled over up there. Has anyone else had this problem or are the tint laws not enforced up there either?
I too brought a car up from Florida which, let me tell you, had the DARKEST tinting ever, even on the driver's window (it was wonderful in Florida). I didn't have that car long, but I never got pulled over for the tint. The only issue I ran into was getting my car inspected for registration in DC. The inspector told me that I needed to get the tint removed, but still passed my car, so it may be up to their discretion. Make sure to ensure them that you will get it removed if they bring it up, maybe going as far to ask where someone might get that done. That's what I did, and I passed, and then never got it removed. What can I say, I loved that tint.
Location: the wrong side of the tracks Richmond, VA
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My customs guy told me you really only have to worry when you're getting the car inspected and as Cochrynn said, my understanding is it's up to them if they want to let you through or not.
He also said that you're far more likely to have trouble in Maryland than you will in DC.
if u black, police use it as an excuse to racial profile
so as long as u not black or driving a "hood" car u'll be fine
Yeah thats a pretty ignorant comment and not generally true unless you get pulled over by a "bad apple".
OP - honestly they aren't really strict on it around here either for white or black or asian or hispanic people (or anyone is my point)... Unless you are doing some shady stuff... or you get pulled over for speeding or something else.. and YOU are rude, a-hole, disrespectful... to the cop, they normally are like whatever. But if you are any of that... they will probably write you a ticket for everything they can... but that goes for ANYONE who is a jerk to them.
And there is an off chance that you get pulled over by that "one" d-bag cop that does that stuff.... but most don't. I personally had like 25% on my car when I was a teenager.... (Small little innocent looking white girl)... who got that "one" d-bag cop.. and got a ticket for it. But that was a long time ago... but just goes to show you are probably good regardless of your color, but on the off chance you were unlucky, there is still a small chance.
Location: the wrong side of the tracks Richmond, VA
585 posts, read 2,015,828 times
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I've been pulled over once (no tint currently) driving home with my boyfriend - he's a middle-aged square and we're both white (I'm technically part Latin but not enough to be racially profiled by a cop from a distance). The cop had a difficult time believing that I lived here and we weren't simply a couple of fun-loving white folks looking for dope east of the river. I hadn't yet changed my Maryland license over and had to offer to go open my mailbox for him to prove I lived here.
So yeah, if a cop wants to make something of you not fitting into the profile or standing out for driving a sketchy hooptie with a busted out headlight or whatever, they will. I'm sure tint is included in that.
If your vehicle is registered in DC, the total light transmittance needs to be 70% or above. 70% is EXTREMELY light so basically no tight for DC cars. MD's TLT is 35% or above. Which is pretty dark. The police have reciprocity which means they can enforce tint laws from other states.
Having your windows tinted under 20% percent is extremely dangerous, it makes it very hard to see out of the vehicle esp during a storm and during a typical clear night.
Also from the law enforcement side it is extremely hard for them to see in the vehicle, now before some posters go "its none of their business whats it my car" remember DC had that pretty violent S. Capitol shooting which was a drive by and most recently the shooting in Congress Heights which was a drive by.
I'm a black male 54 years old in Washington DC this morning on January 23, 2014 at 10:30 AM driving from one job to another. I was stopped by this white cop. When I saw him getting out his car I let my window down and put both hands on the wheel cause he had his hand on his gun. He wanted my driver's id so I said could I unlock my seat belt to get in my pocket, he said OK. He was a nice cop, but still I have no ideal what he was thinking. I ask him what was wrong, he said give me your license and I'll tell you from there. So, I gave him my license and he said your tint in the back should be 50% and the front 70%. I have been driving my car in DC for a year come Feb 15 never had a problem until this morning and throughout the year cops been driving behind me and on the side we speak black and white cops never said a thing. Anyway after taking my license he said are they good? I said sure check if you like and he did. I wasn't scared, but I was hoping nothing come up and nothing did. So he come back to the car and want to know where I work. I told him. Then he wanted to know where was I going? I said home at the address on the license that way Sir. Then he calmly ask do you have anything illegal in the car such as drugs or a gun? I said no please check if you care to. So he gave me my license and said this is a verbal warning about your tint and I drove off. I thought when you get a warning it's a warning ticket with no charge. I have my ideal what that was all about...
I'm a black male 54 years old in Washington DC this morning on January 23, 2014 at 10:30 AM driving from one job to another. I was stopped by this white cop. When I saw him getting out his car I let my window down and put both hands on the wheel cause he had his hand on his gun. He wanted my driver's id so I said could I unlock my seat belt to get in my pocket, he said OK. He was a nice cop, but still I have no ideal what he was thinking. I ask him what was wrong, he said give me your license and I'll tell you from there. So, I gave him my license and he said your tint in the back should be 50% and the front 70%. I have been driving my car in DC for a year come Feb 15 never had a problem until this morning and throughout the year cops been driving behind me and on the side we speak black and white cops never said a thing. Anyway after taking my license he said are they good? I said sure check if you like and he did. I wasn't scared, but I was hoping nothing come up and nothing did. So he come back to the car and want to know where I work. I told him. Then he wanted to know where was I going? I said home at the address on the license that way Sir. Then he calmly ask do you have anything illegal in the car such as drugs or a gun? I said no please check if you care to. So he gave me my license and said this is a verbal warning about your tint and I drove off. I thought when you get a warning it's a warning ticket with no charge. I have my ideal what that was all about...
What kind of car do you drive? Maybe that day they were looking for a car similar to yours, but you didn't fit the description. The rest is just things they have to ask. At least the cop didn't write you a ticket to meet a quota
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