Off topic... Tinted windows on Automobiles?

[TwistedCopper]

Just wondering what the lowdown is here in PA with tinted windows.

It is my understanding that on a pickup truck (standard cab) the rear can be tinted as dark as I want, but the two side windows can not have any aftermarket tint at all?

IS this enforced through ticketing or through annual State inspections or both?

What's going to happen if I try to tint the side windows with 35% tint?

anyone with any input please throw it out there...

Thanks in advance.

[soberbyker]

http://www.berksweb.com/users/dmv/tint/

Interesting reading on the subject at that link.

[TwistedCopper]

Good stuff... once again a "grey" law in PA

Thanks SB

[jsb889]

Whats wrong with low tint? I'd imagine the more tint the less legal...from what I'm reading it says the opposite?

[XD45]

I had window tint on my truck for a few years, got pulled over alot... removed it when i got my LTCF as I didn't want a reason for them to pull me over...

$102.50 is the fine, its not really a grey area in PA to the officers, they have really stepped up their actions on window tint since its an officer safety issue, if you have a car you can't have it at all, if you have a truck, SUV, or van anything behind the drivers seat is legal to tint, you could black it out if you wanted...

I believe 35% is legal, but in all honesty you can't even tell its on there... I had double 5 all the way around and my windshield tinted at 20% at one time(young and stupid)

[TwistedCopper]

Whats wrong with low tint? I'd imagine the more tint the less legal...from what I'm reading it says the opposite?

The lower the # the darker the tint.

For example 35% allows 35% of the light through

20% would be darker, while 5% (commonly referred to as "limo" tint) is very dark, allowing only 5% visible light to transfer through it.

[XD45]

Whats wrong with low tint? I'd imagine the more tint the less legal...from what I'm reading it says the opposite?

numbers are kinda flipped w/ window tint, lower the number darker the tint.. 5% is limo tint, 20% is what you see on vehicles that come from the factor w/ tint on the rear windows

[RUDY850]

http://www.pafoa.org/forum/lounge-10...ndow-tint.html

[Steve in PA]

Front driver and passengers window cannot be tinted so dark that you cannot see into the vehicle. End result is a citation.

You can have them tinted darker if you have a medical condition. A doctors recommendation would be required.

[Zef_66]

if you have a car you can't have it at all, if you have a truck, SUV, or van anything behind the drivers seat is legal to tint, you could black it out if you wanted...

I don't agree with the first statement here. I believe that even a car can have the rear windows tinted behind the driver. What makes a car different from a truck or van or SUV or crossover? Why are they more special? I don't think they are. I think on any vehicle, you can tint any window behind the driver's window.

Also, most cops will tell you that any tinting on the side windows below 73% or something like that is illegal. But like many have said, it is a grey area. But not something I want to fight. I would just pay the fine if I got one.

With that said, I have both my car and my truck windows tinted to 20%. My last car was tinted to 5%, and the one before that was 20%. The last car with 5% all around was a bit much. 20% is a good medium. I got pulled over only once in my almost 10 years driving with tinted windows. And that was on the car with the dark 5% tint. No ticket, just a speech and verbal warning. On one other occasion I was verbally warned by a cop and told to remove the tint or I would be pulled over. Never happened.

My view is if your windows are not tinted that dark and you are not doing anything wrong, most cops won't bother. If you are driving along and the cop can't see you inside, or you are driving erratically, you are probably going to get crap about it. I know my next vehicle will have 20% tint all around.