5% tint?
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,656
Likes: 138
From: Arizona
different states have different laws, seems like some of you are set on your states law being the same across the country. In AZ 35% on front sides, nothing below the AS1 line on the windshield and as dark as you want on the rears.
I agree with the cops having to abide by the laws too, just about every cop here in AZ has at least 20% on the front sides
I agree with the cops having to abide by the laws too, just about every cop here in AZ has at least 20% on the front sides
04-08 F150 mad scientist.
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 77
Likes: 1
From: Cadiz, Kentucky
I have 2% on everything behind drivers seat. 5% on driver and passenger seats. The police in my area don't care. Ive had state troopers give me warnings before but never had a ticket. I usually catch hell in the cities. But thats Kentucky for you. I will be getting rid of my front 5%. I carry concealed (legally) and traffic stops are a p.i.t.a for me as it is. Add illegal tint the mix and they automatically jump to conclusions. That and I am beginning to have trouble seeing out of the windows at night.
Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
Cops aren't stupid. "Roll yer window up a bit please..." They WILL look at your tint. It's not rocket science 
Depends where you live and what you drive. I used to go one shade darker than legal, and I got away with it. But I don't really need cops hassling me over trivial things like tint, so I just have what's legal.
Tint that's about 20% or darker will hinder your night-time visibility to a certain degree...
Tint that's about 20% or darker will hinder your night-time visibility to a certain degree...
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,421
Likes: 58
. . .
Just went through this with the state of CT on my truck. The officer doing the inspections at the inspection station for the DMV stated:
- Rear windows on vehicles can be as dark as you want. You can paint them black if you so choose to do so, as long as you have BOTH side mirrors on your vehicle. Some vehicles used to only come with one side mirror... don't know why, vehicle looks a little off being unsymmetrical. But I digress...
- On vehicles listed as TRUCKS (light passenger trucks, I think SUV's count but I'm not sure...), windows BEHIND the driver's row of seats can be as dark as you want (yep, invest in another can of black paint... you can do that to the rear side windows as well). Windows in the driver's row of seats can only be a MAX of 35% dark, from factory, aftermarket, or a combination.
- On vehicles listed as CARS (there's a code you can read for the car vs. truck distinction on the door jam, I forget what he said it was for car vs. what it was for truck) ALL side windows can only be a MAX 35% dark, from the factory, aftermarket, or a combination.
Of course, these are only the laws in CT. You'll all have to get pulled over by your own state's oinkers and have them send you to inspection when your tint fails their "tint-o-meters" to ask your own "expert" what the actual laws are in your own place of residence.
- Rear windows on vehicles can be as dark as you want. You can paint them black if you so choose to do so, as long as you have BOTH side mirrors on your vehicle. Some vehicles used to only come with one side mirror... don't know why, vehicle looks a little off being unsymmetrical. But I digress...
- On vehicles listed as TRUCKS (light passenger trucks, I think SUV's count but I'm not sure...), windows BEHIND the driver's row of seats can be as dark as you want (yep, invest in another can of black paint... you can do that to the rear side windows as well). Windows in the driver's row of seats can only be a MAX of 35% dark, from factory, aftermarket, or a combination.
- On vehicles listed as CARS (there's a code you can read for the car vs. truck distinction on the door jam, I forget what he said it was for car vs. what it was for truck) ALL side windows can only be a MAX 35% dark, from the factory, aftermarket, or a combination.
Of course, these are only the laws in CT. You'll all have to get pulled over by your own state's oinkers and have them send you to inspection when your tint fails their "tint-o-meters" to ask your own "expert" what the actual laws are in your own place of residence.
You are correct sir. The reason the back windows of trucks and SUV's can be this dark is because it is considered a "cargo" area. For example, a cargo van that has no back (or side) windows. For some reason that "cargo" area is the same as the back seats of any truck or suv and can be 0% if wanted. Cars are strictly passenger vehicles, thus why no car comes with tint from the factory. No state allows windshield tint unless medically approved, and drivers and passenger windows vary from state to state.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 813
Likes: 6
[QUOTE="OKStateF150"]
Hey patrol, I do have a couple questions for you. One: how do you determine that tint is too dark? Is it all on visual inspection or do you have a tool in your cruiser to check (I’ve heard of light spectrum readers or something).
I Florida, police have a tool that clips on the top of your window and it detects the amount of light that's able to pass through the film, thus determining your tint %
Hey patrol, I do have a couple questions for you. One: how do you determine that tint is too dark? Is it all on visual inspection or do you have a tool in your cruiser to check (I’ve heard of light spectrum readers or something).
I Florida, police have a tool that clips on the top of your window and it detects the amount of light that's able to pass through the film, thus determining your tint %
Last edited by chocolateskwlbuss; Oct 5, 2011 at 11:59 AM.
So true. . .
Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
If your windows are rolled down before you get pulled over, or in the process of, I guarantee you won't get a ticket for whatever you got pulled over for. Unless you were speed racing, in a chase, or drunk. Police officers will respect anyone, once they see that they aren't afraid of hiding anything. Proven fact . . .
. . .
Yea, cops usually back down when the person they pull over gets argumentative
