How do people get away with tinting a windshield?

[Skippy722]

I had my 300 tinted to 20% all the way around except the windshield, which had no tint applied. Never understood tinting the windshield unless you have a medical reason, but tint the rest to whatever you want IMO.

As for how people get away driving around with it… cops don’t seem to care is my guess.

 

[Kira]

Why are enforcement vehicles usually exempt for tint laws then?

Who says they are?
Tinting on some law enforcement vehicles improves their capacity to surveil.

 

[Hall]

It used to be that Pennsylvania would issue those exemptions if a doctor signed off on a form.

Ohio's law seems to be a bit more friendly for vehicle owners. The state doesn't approve or deny anything, you just carry the exemption form from your doctor and I guess you just show it to the law enforcement officer if pulled over or questioned about the tint.

Rule 4501-41-05 - Ohio Administrative Code | Ohio Laws

codes.ohio.gov

 

[Hall]

Why are enforcement vehicles usually exempt for tint laws then?

According to Ohio's laws related to tint, they aren't, but police vehicles frequently have tinted windows (especially undercover vehicles). If they were exempt, it should be listed here. In the law regarding leaving a vehicle running without anyone in it, for example, that law specifically exempts law enforcement vehicles.

 

[KrisZ]

According to Ohio's laws related to tint, they aren't, but police vehicles frequently have tinted windows (especially undercover vehicles). If they were exempt, it should be listed here. In the law regarding leaving a vehicle running without anyone in it, for example, that law specifically exempts law enforcement vehicles.

They are breaking the law then.
Could a citizen pull one over and check if the tint is legal?

 

[Thermo1223]

Many tint shops have no paper trail of ever installing any tint in any illegal manner whatsoever. Those jobs get paid in cash with no receipt.

That was my thought exactly as I know of two shops near me that operate in that manner.

 

[billt460]

If they're letting shoplifters go, and allowing people to attack others violently, and break into cars without even responding, let alone prosecuting them. Then my guess is they don't have dark window tint very high on their list of legal priorities.

Sadly society is becoming more lawless everyday.

 

[UG_Passat]

Many tint shops have no paper trail of ever installing any tint in any illegal manner whatsoever. Those jobs get paid in cash with no receipt.

Then how would a customer deal with the shop in regards to warranty if say, the adhesive failed, without a paper trail?


Some jurisdications do care.

Pinal County Sheriff's Office

Pinal County Sheriff's Office. 554,974 likes · 50,937 talking about this · 1,499 were here. The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office has been dedicated to protecting the citizens of Pinal County since 1875....

www.facebook.com

The "Fridays with Frank" videos do show him pulling people over for excessive tint, whether it's the front windows or windsheild.

I've had "Illegal tint" back in NJ... never been cited for it.

But one may fail for illegal tint for a state's safety inspection, as NY as been cracking down on illegal passes for a number of years.

 

[Joel_MD]

PA only allows 70% Visible Light Transmission on all windows and nothing is allowed on the windshield not even the tint strip at the top.

/oldmanrant

That's interesting. Don't most factory windshields come with a tinted strip at the top? So in PA you can get a ticket for a factory windshield?

 

[DriveHard]

I have been pulled over twice for window tint. In Iowa you can only tint the windows behind the B pillar. I had my front side windows (NOT windshield) tinted on both an Audi A3, and my Fiat 500. Both were a mid-level tint you could see into the vehicle pretty easily. I got pulled over and issued a ticket in both cars...on the same highway, but by different officers. (Hwy. 30 in the middle of Iowa)

 

[UG_Passat]

That's interesting. Don't most factory windshields come with a tinted strip at the top? So in PA you can get a ticket for a factory windshield?

Like the privacy glass in trucks and SUV's... it's factory.

The tint band from the factory are blended into the clear glass, which a tint film has no transition.

 

[Hermann]

When I got the Maverick I had the front side windows to match the factory rears (20% ?), and a limo eyebrow visor. There are times when it is a bit to dark. There is a interstate entrance ramp I use frequently that is like a 120° left turn, and the whole exit area is not lit. I will roll down the window to help with that and similar turns. Although I had to also roll the window down on my F-150 will 35% tint on that same unlit entrance ramp.

 

[dogememe]

Windshield tint is so, so dumb and should be ticketed IMO. The previous owner of my Yukon tinted it really dark all the way around including the windshield and I just couldn't see out at night so I ripped off the windshield tint.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Especially in states where it's against the law. Why take on that liability as a business owner? I notice it this morning as a contractor from Johnson Controls who used his own vehicle.
New Pilot with limo tint or darker on all windows including windshield. I couldn't even see a person was in the car at all, hell he even tinted his headlight housings.

I looked up the law for NJ & PA;

PA only allows 70% Visible Light Transmission on all windows and nothing is allowed on the windshield not even the tint strip at the top.

NJ only allows the rear side windows and rear window at any tint level. The windshield & front side windows are a no go.

I just don't understand lowering your visual acuity because it looks cool.

/oldmanrant

Not a priority unless the vehicle is at fault in an accident

 

[4WD]

We are controlled by back, driver/passenger front, and windshield eyebrow only (based on factory marks)

 

[The Critic]

Then how would a customer deal with the shop in regards to warranty if say, the adhesive failed, without a paper trail?

Technically, there isn't one. Shops will only provide a receipt or warranty on the legal tint that was applied.

If they "remember you," then they'll take care of any issues on the illegal areas.

 

[JWC86]

That's interesting. Don't most factory windshields come with a tinted strip at the top? So in PA you can get a ticket for a factory windshield?

There is a certain amount on the top of the windshield that cam be tinted as dark as you want. It’s even marked on the windshield of you go look. Their will be a line and a arrow on both sides.

 

[Trav]

In MA they don't care what you do except maybe in small towns with 2 cops and 1 cruiser that never get anything to do.
When I was a kid putting a cherry bomb on a car would get you pinched as soon as you left the house, ditto bald tires (they wrote them up as racing slicks) from doing burn outs but no more, today PR cars bouncing up the street from having the coils cut down with a torch, tinted windows, extreme camber, fart can mufflers are all on the menu, driving license and reg, we don't need no stinkin license and if they say they are illegal the cops cant push the issue just let them go. Fact!

The cops stop them and its racist, so no more knocking them off the head and throwing them in the cruiser to be locked up, so they just ignore it.

 

[97prizm]

Especially in states where it's against the law. Why take on that liability as a business owner? I notice it this morning as a contractor from Johnson Controls who used his own vehicle.
New Pilot with limo tint or darker on all windows including windshield. I couldn't even see a person was in the car at all, hell he even tinted his headlight housings.

I looked up the law for NJ & PA;

PA only allows 70% Visible Light Transmission on all windows and nothing is allowed on the windshield not even the tint strip at the top.

NJ only allows the rear side windows and rear window at any tint level. The windshield & front side windows are a no go.

I just don't understand lowering your visual acuity because it looks cool.

/oldmanrant

I saw this at a dealership once. A guy purchased a pre-owned GMC Yukon. Unbeknownst to anyone at the dealership the front windshield was fully tinted but to 80-90%. So light that the only way we found out was a lot Technician was preparing the vehicle and took a razor blade to it to remove stickers and then saw the tint come off. A 2% front tint sounds insane.

 

[Allaneddie]

I haven't heard of any tickets being issued for tint in SC in a long time. I think it is a good idea to let the officer have a clear view of me if I were stopped. My most recent stop was for a license plate light not working. I was gone from that stop in 5 minutes. I would never have known if he weren't behind me and saw it. Told me others take that light out so that the plate can't be read at night. Not my plan.