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California Window tint enforced?
- Thread starter Slayerz00m
- Start date
El joe
Active Member
I have the same as you and just got my fronts darkened to 20% to match the back. My last Model 3 was done to 5% and I never got bothered.
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techzelle
Member
True, and ceramic makes a huge difference in blocking heat.
If you don't wan't it to go darker, just use 70% ceramic tint on factory-tinted windows.
With 35% tint, you can very clearly see the other drivers and everything outside. Others can see me too.
Getting the tint for UV protection and heat rejection, not for hiding
My original post clearly says
> I would like to get 70%VLT on front windshield and 35% VLT on the front 2 windows.
Those are untinted.
Many people here talking about front windshield tint 70% of VLT while tint law is different. It is only a strip of tint on the top 4 inches of the windshield, which is allowed, and it must be non-reflected. You guys can read it yourself. Here is the source link California Tint Laws - Updated 2024 - The Tint Laws
I noticed all the California window tints are tinting the front. I was under the impression in California that was illegal. Is it just cross your fingers deal with it if you get pulled over for something else? Or did law finally allow it
Years ago, they got us on our tow vehicle with light front tints. As well as trailer llengh. and everything else they could possibly find. basically had us turned around and leave the state or be impound. We ended up sneaking over to the race track in the middle of the night. Only state in the union we had trouble with.
Years ago, they got us on our tow vehicle with light front tints. As well as trailer llengh. and everything else they could possibly find. basically had us turned around and leave the state or be impound. We ended up sneaking over to the race track in the middle of the night. Only state in the union we had trouble with.
In CA, tint is only allowed on the rear driver's / passenger's side windows and rear window. Technically no tint is allowed on the front driver's/passenger's side windows and none on the front windshield.
CA laws are unnecessarily draconian about tint given our increasingly hot climate here. I plan to get a doctors note about eyestrain and keep it in my car in case a cop pulls me over.
Front Tint should be enforced anywhere differently than side window tint. Windsheild tint can be dangerous because it hinders the driver's ability to see (regardless of what the driver thinks) whereas side tint is just a threat to the cop if they can't see inside. Two COMPLETELY different "issues". That doesn't mean they enforce tint. SoCal definitely does NOT enforce Tint. Maybe a few areas here and there, but generally, NO. It doesn't matter if you have Cop friends that claim they do because they don't for normal tint all around. Using it as an excuse to engage is completely different.
I have no idea why people are trying to argue about what is enforced in CA with a person who stated specifically that they have specific knowledge because they are a LEO, but I think we need to let that line of debate go. Its like someone saying "I went to WebMD and it says that those symptoms are likely XXXXX" in response to a person who says "Well, I am a Doctor, and my medical school training and experience in that exact field says its XXXXX".
So, please, whatever peoples personal experience is with tint in SoCal is their experience. I have my own lifetime of experience with tint in SoCal, but I am not going to argue with an actual officer in SoCal on what is or isnt enforced.
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So I guess the question would be are they citing folks for having ANY front window tint or are they citing them after pulling them over and testing the percentage at which the front windows are tinted? That would be legit, but you said "no tint is allowed on the front driver's/passenger's side windows" and according the below Vehicle Code, that is incorrect.
That's all fine and well, but the Vehicle Code would disagree with what the person with a LEO background is saying. So while I am not LEO, I do know how to make this internet thing work and it tells me that getting cited for any tint on the front windows of the car is contrary to current code. Hopefully to settle the debate we can all read CA Vehicle Code 26708, which states the following...
(d) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), clear, colorless, and transparent material may be installed, affixed, or applied to the front side windows, located to the immediate left and right of the front seat if the following conditions are met:
(1) The material has a minimum visible light transmittance of 88 percent.
(2) The window glazing with the material applied meets all requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 205 (49 C.F.R. 571.205), including the specified minimum light transmittance of 70 percent and the abrasion resistance of AS–14 glazing, as specified in that federal standard.
(3) The material is designed and manufactured to enhance the ability of the existing window glass to block the sun’s harmful ultraviolet A rays.
(4) The driver has in his or her possession, or within the vehicle, a certificate signed by the installing company certifying that the windows with the material installed meet the requirements of this subdivision and the certificate identifies the installing company and the material’s manufacturer by full name and street address, or, if the material was installed by the vehicle owner, a certificate signed by the material’s manufacturer certifying that the windows with the material installed according to manufacturer’s instructions meet the requirements of this subdivision and the certificate identifies the material’s manufacturer by full name and street address.
(5) If the material described in this subdivision tears or bubbles, or is otherwise worn to prohibit clear vision, it shall be removed or replaced.
What window tint are you putting on the front windows in CA that has a visible light transmission of 88%? I think they start at 70%. Thats why people say the front windows are not able to be legally tinted in CA (although people do it all the time).
E90alex
Active Member
Llumar Air 80 ~77% VLT, Llumar Air 90 ~84% VLT. I’m sure there’s other brands with “clear” ceramic heat rejecting tint.
Basically clear enough that you can’t tell it’s tinted without a tint meter or careful side by side comparison with an identical untinted car.
Thats almost never what anyone is talking about when they bring this topic up, though. Even 70% is hard to see visibly (I have had my windshield tinted with 70% tint before), but people are not usually paying to put a clear tint on their front windows.
If it doesnt look tinted, I doubt people are going to get stopped for it, but that also wasnt the genesis of the "what percentage tint" discussion and information provided by an active Law Enforcement Officer (From southern cal) who is participating in a waiting room thread stating what he is aware that his co workers do or dont do.
E90alex
Active Member
Yes very true.
The reality is enforcement varies greatly between municipalities and even between individual officers of the same municipality and whether or not they woke up on the wrong side the bed that morning.
The argument of ‘well there’s other cars with xx tint and they don’t get pulled over’ is not a valid defense because it’s explicitly illegal in the eyes of the law and therefore you always have the potential to get ticketed for it.
Pay attention to other cars in your area and how many others have front or windshield tint. If a lot of cars have front tint you’ll most likely be fine, but also still be prepared to possibly be the unlucky one to get a ticket for it.
The reality is enforcement varies greatly between municipalities and even between individual officers of the same municipality and whether or not they woke up on the wrong side the bed that morning.
The argument of ‘well there’s other cars with xx tint and they don’t get pulled over’ is not a valid defense because it’s explicitly illegal in the eyes of the law and therefore you always have the potential to get ticketed for it.
Pay attention to other cars in your area and how many others have front or windshield tint. If a lot of cars have front tint you’ll most likely be fine, but also still be prepared to possibly be the unlucky one to get a ticket for it.
I'll try to clarify how it works for my particular big city department. However, YMMV, depending on where you live.
Patrol/gang units/violent crime task force (i.e. high speed low drag units) can use the window tint as a pretext stop. They have the right to stop you based on having any type of window tint on your front windshield (not the top 4 inches) or front passenger/driver's side window if it could obstruct your vision. They can also either use the spirit of the law to let you off with a warning, or they can cite you for window tint. But these guys are so busy with actual crime, a lot of times, these are the cops who don't care about window tint, which may give that one guy the impression that LEO don't enforce tint.
If your tint is so light that it won't even garner the attention of LEO, then you should be fine, but what's the point of getting tint?
Now, those officers who are assigned to specifically enforce traffic violations (i.e. traffic units, motorcycle officers). They will stop and cite you for front window tint. They may stop you initially for something else (i.e., speed, unsafe lane change, etc...), but if you have your front windshield tinted, there's a good chance that the motor officer will cite you for that too. Again, that is wholly dependent upon a particular officer, but motor officers don't hold back.
You can do whatever you want. Tinting places will tell you all kinds of things about legality and such, but they're just trying to make a buck. I am just letting you know that you can get pulled over for having tint on your front windshield and front windows (unless it's completely clear or so light that you can't even perceive it as tint), and you can get cited for it. You can argue all you want with the officer, but unless you have a doctor's note (still debatable after speaking with a motor officer buddy of mine), you'll get a ticket if that's what the officer will cite you for. Of course you have the right to take it to traffic court and see if it will get dismissed.
In all my years as an LEO (almost 20 years), I've never personally written a dark tint ticket. Why? because I have front tint on my personal vehicles. I've worked a traffic division for a short stint. I worked alongside motor officers. They will cite for tint. I don't know what else to tell you.
You may never in your life get pulled over for front window tint. You may get pulled over for window tint but given a warning. You might get pulled over for speeding, but get issued a citation for your tint instead. You may get pulled over for tint and actually get issued a fixit ticket. The bottom line is, officers can pull you over for having your front window tinted.
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