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As I was looking around the auto classifieds, I noticed a couple cars and trucks that had full windshield tinted, and they had 5% tint on the whole car. I cant imagine how they get away with this, I remember when I was younger I was pulled over for speeding, and the cop pulled out his little light measuring device for the windows, this was my lowrider s-10, and I believe the tint was 25%, so not even close to being 'limo dark'. ( I still had to pay a $10. fine for that), but did not have to remove it!!
Ive seen a handful of cars and trucks that had full windshield tinted, so I guess this is something they dont really enforce anymore.
I really think it depends on the type of car too, My s10 was a custom lowrider, so it attracted attention, large majority of the cars and trucks Ive seen with full windshield tint were customized. chances are, if you had a Honda accord, could probably get away with 5% all the way around!
I have heard that 5% is the lowest(darkest tint) that is available, but I remember talking to a guy awhile back that claimed you can buy window tint with any degree of light blocking (down to 1%) if you want to spend the money, although Ive never seen 1%.
Here in SC in can still come down so far on the front IF vehicle did not have the blue shading at the top from the factory, and it has to be 6" or less from the top. My son has this on his Challenger. Both his car and my Mustang are tinted on the side windows, his darker than mine, but mine is legal so his is. Not sure what mine is, I think 20%, don't recall what the man said now.
The tint laws vary quite a bit from state to state, and I'm guessing their enforcement varies a lot too.
There's many sites on the internet that show the laws.
But one example, in NC, the mandatory safety inspection includes actually testing any windshield tint, (and charges and extra $10). You can't get your annual registration renewal until you pass.
Note: it may be possible to have a glass-film applied that's legal. I have all my glass tinted with a film that blocks the heat from sunlight (80%!), but only blocks a bit of visible light, and is fully legal in that respect. It's astonishingly effective in when I leave my car out in those hot sunny southern day.
The tint laws vary quite a bit from state to state, and I'm guessing their enforcement varies a lot too.
There's many sites on the internet that show the laws.
But one example, in NC, the mandatory safety inspection includes actually testing any windshield tint, (and charges and extra $10). You can't get your annual registration renewal until you pass.
Note: it may be possible to have a glass-film applied that's legal. I have all my glass tinted with a film that blocks the heat from sunlight (80%!), but only blocks a bit of visible light, and is fully legal in that respect. It's astonishingly effective in when I leave my car out in those hot sunny southern day.
Even in states where it is checked and illegal, the laws do not have much bite to them, $10 extra is not a big deal, I would pay this in order to keep my dark tint.
When I got cited for my tint, I only had to pay the fine, they didnt make me remove it, so that was worth it imo, Ive had dark tint on every vehicle since and never been cited for it again.
I may look into getting my full windshield done, the sun glare is incredibly bright certain time of day, I will happily pay the $10 if it means I can keep my full windshield tinted dark.
I owned several cars with FULL glass tint. Windshield included. Windshield was simply heat retention, it was actually more transparent to light than side doors legal tint.
Was pulled over several times, never had an issue.
Tint laws - and police tolerance - varies from state to state. That's the bottom line. Tint people will always tell you - hey, don't do this or that, it's not gonna fly. Reason being, tint removal is VERY tedious process, even when paid for. They'd rather not go through that.
What owners do on their own - that's between them and police.
I don't know what the laws are here, but I'd guess 80% of the passenger vehicles have aftermarket tinting, with the majority of it being what I'd call blackout. Between the aftermarket stuff everywhere and the standard tinting on larger vehicles like minivans and SUVs, it's unusual to see an untinted car, and those are usually beaters. Local discussions of car buying and selling put as much emphasis on "having" to get a choice tinted as "having" to put new tires or brakes on it.
It's absurd to me, given that we have moderate summer temps. I suspect most of this tinting exceeds legal limits, but obviously LE doesn't care.
this tint regulation is all bs anyways. ok, the front windshield should not be tinted. and 5 o/o is way too dark. this tint regulation is to make an extra tax for the gobermint .
And for some BS officer safety . Another poor excuse for the cops to use to fxxx with you, the little guy. 50 o/o should be the limit all around. Bad guys dont always tint their cars. Anyone can put on a shirt and tie, and drive a plain jane Crown vic to do the bad boy business.
Waaah. Do a few traffic stops, little man, and then come back to talk to us about LE safety.
Call for backup....
EDIT: While I will concede there are some psychos out there, please don't try to tell me you can't radio for backup before even approaching a vehicle you deem "suspicious" or makes you scares. Or for a search refusal. Or the whole force.
You have bulletproof vests, multiple weapons, tasers.. if anything, motorists are afraid of you.
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