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State Window Tinting Laws

25K views 35 replies 17 participants last post by  ILLpala 
#1 · (Edited)
Here is a great state window tint law chart for all US states. Very handy:

 
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#4 ·
#7 ·
Dont understand the IL line but the law here is screwed up..

If you have NO factory tint at all on any windows, you can have 35% on drivers/passenger front door, back doors and back window..

If you DO have factory tint on any windows, you can only go 50%..

Now here is the screwed up part..... If you have a van or SUV with rear only factory tints, you can only go 50% on front windows.... Really? but NO factory tint at all you can go 35%? :bang:

Windshields only the top 5-6".
 
#10 ·
Illinois laws use to be anything older than 1984 or 1987 (can't remember which) you could have tinted any windows dark as you wanted except windshield.
 
#11 ·
tint?

#1 what is "AS1"?
#2 Nice to live in Vermont.
#3 FB BB does this refer to front side of glass and backside ,or inside, of glass?


Thanks.
 
#15 ·
^correct. And ANY means ANY. You can paint them black and still be legal.
 
#17 ·
Soooo......as long as my car is registered and plated in Vermont I can drive anywhere else with my windows painted black? Or just in Vermont?
 
#19 ·
It's my understanding that state laws of the state that you are driving in "overrule" laws of the state where the car is registered. If that is true, then I would assume that you *can* get ticketed for tinted windows while driving through other states with stricter tint laws.

Again, I am not 100% sure about that, but I seem to remember reading that somewhere (not about tint specifically though).

Can anyone else comment on this? @TSS maybe?

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#18 ·
Well, you may get hassled about it in other states, but ultimately, there's nothing they can do to make you take it off. They generally threaten to suspend your registration if you don't get illegal tint removed, but since you car isn't registered in any of those states, it won't make a difference
 
#20 ·
Here is the process for getting a tint violation in Maryland:


When you get pulled over, the officer will likely check the tint with a handheld meter, although this does not always happen. If the tint registers below the legal limit, or the officer believes the tint is too dark based on a visual estimation, he will write you a repair order. There is no fine for a repair order, however, you have 30 days to remove the tint before your registration is suspended at the MVA (DMV in other states). You can "appeal" the repair order by going to the State police, where they have more accurate testing equipment, however, it's not likely that your repair order will be reversed. Once the tint is removed, you need to have the car inspected at a certified state inspection station, who will sign and stamp the repair order, which you then send in to the state police. Again, if the repair order is not received within that 30 days, your vehicle registration is suspended.


In this scenario, cars registered out of state have nothing the police can hold over their head in regards to the suspension of the registration. Sure, they can issue you a repair order if they're so inclined, but if you do not comply, there isn't much they can do about it.


Source: having received two tint violations in the state.
 
#22 ·
Did a little research and it appears that the answer just depends on the state. Some states use the laws from the state that the car is registered in and some use their own laws.

What seemed to be globally apparent though, is that cops will use the tint simply as a reason to pull you over to find bigger things to get you for (research was from a law enforcement site)! :)

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#23 ·
Yes, that is very true! Interestingly enough, while I had the Caprice searched 3 times by the police, I have never had the Impala searched. In fact, the only thing I've been pulled over for in the Impala is tint (all by the same officer) but never searched. Very interesting...
 
#25 ·
Been pulled over once strictly for tint. By a state cop, showed him my script and he said i'm the first one hes ever pulled over with one and to have a good day. City cop tried to give me crap for it after pulling me over for something else and he just dropped it once he seen my script. Ive been pulled over for "running a yellow light", talked to him and he agreed it wasn't yellow, for exhaust and tint. And once for not being able to see my license plate, which was by an under cover border control, and he let me go.
 
#26 ·
Man I am breaking the law!! :devil:
 
#28 ·
I'm 15% all around and a 5% strip along the top of the windshield ;)
 
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