California tint law sucks! bye bye tints >_<

[Gilbert]

the gf wanted chocolate milkshake... we went to the mall to buy her one.... 2 minutes from the mall i get stopped by a cop... he tells me its illegal to have the front windows tinted.. to my surprise since its the first time i get stopped in california, he gave me a citation and told me i needed to remove them within 10 days. not sure if i would have to pay anything when i got to the place to show them i removed them. but anyways.. he left, i was pissed off saying to myself that i shoulda stayed home. so we finally got to the mall, she got her shake, and we left. around 3 minutes of leaving the mall i get stopped AGAIN! Im thinking WTF OMG THIS CANT BE HAPPENING!!

so i pull to a parking space, and he comes and tells me that my windows are too dark and its illegal blah blah blah. and i immediately tell him that i just got stopped for that like 5 mins ago and showed him my citation ticket. he tells me that his magic ball doesnt tell him that ive been stopped. so he told me to get it corrected and he left.... and here i am thining cops didnt stop prius's i drive around all day long, and the tints REALLY helped with sun and heat, is there any other alternative for this that's not illegal? i shoulda stayed living in puerto rico, tints allowed full way around

[Leslie_M]

Hi Gilbert,
Take a look at this site. According to it, CA allows tinting up to 30% on the front side windows. Are yours tinted darker than this?

Welcome to TintLaws.com

[Speedwing]

The driver's window is the main window they target for tint. They want to be able to see the driver when approaching the vehicle for their own safety. It makes sense. Go to an Optomotrist and get a script for light sensitivity and you can keep your tint. Always get the driver's window rolled down before they get to you and have the script laminated to show them.

[F8L]

Originally Posted by Leslie_M

Hi Gilbert,
Take a look at this site. According to it, CA allows tinting up to 30% on the front side windows. Are yours tinted darker than this?

Welcome to TintLaws.com

I think you read the wrong state. California state law limits you to 70% (must transmit 70% of visible light) on either side of the driver and any % behind the driver. Tint must not be reflective nor can it have a red hue.

According to most CHP, ANY tint that did not come on the car from the factory is illegal. Obviously this doesn't jive with the vehicle code but if you've read the code you'll know how difficult to understand the exact law is.

Basic rule of thumb is no more than 73% on the front windows if you have light colored interior. With dark interior you are taking chances IMO. I do tint at my stereo shop job so I sell A LOT of tint.

[F8L]

Originally Posted by Gilbert

not sure if i would have to pay anything when i got to the place to show them i removed them.

It is generally a $10 administrative fee.

If you get unlucky you will simply get a ticket and fine instead of the correctable violation like you got. My buddy had the windows done on his C6 Corvette and got a fine within a week. I got two tickets like yours in the span of 3 months after having tint for almost 3yrs..... CHP make me angry sometimes (even though one of my best friends is one). I get all my info from him or my roomate who is a local officer.

[patsparks]

Originally Posted by Leslie_M

Hi Gilbert,
Take a look at this site. According to it, CA allows tinting up to 30% on the front side windows. Are yours tinted darker than this?

Welcome to TintLaws.com

No, it says CA 70% meaning 70% light transmission. I think you will find if you use a tint meter that the light transmission of the glass is about 70 to 80% therefore you can apply a clear UV protection film but any real colour is going to push you under 70%.

Tint is always rated by light transmission.

What I find amazing is if you want you can put solid black vinyl over the back windows, there is no limit.

If anyone finds my tint meter can you let me know please? It was stolen from my unlocked work car at a farmers field day on Kangaroo Island.

[Leslie_M]

I think you read the wrong state.

No, I didn't read the wrong state. I interrepted the information wrong. Per the site it says this for CA:

Front Side WindowsMust allow more than 70% of light in.

I apologize for any confusion.

[Betelgeuse]

Originally Posted by Leslie_M

No, I didn't read the wrong state. I interrepted the information wrong. Per the site it says this for CA:

Front Side WindowsMust allow more than 70% of light in.

I apologize for any confusion.

Yeah. I'm with Leslie. I've always thought the tint notation was backwards. If a window is 30% tinted, it would seem to me that it blocks 30% of the light. So, "30% tint" seems like it should refer to something blocking 30% of the light.

It certainly tripped me up the first couple times I heard it. Isn't one of the points of notation that it should be clear?

[AngelFish]

There are reasons behind the law... Primarily (from what I understand) it is for the safety of the police when they pull you over. Which I can understand. I would not want to be an officer in some of the areas of California.

Personally, I would prefer that the law was if you get pulled over & have tint, all windows in the car must be rolled down. Otherwise you get the ticket. But that is unfortunately not the case.

[Gilbert]

Originally Posted by AngelFish

There are reasons behind the law... Primarily (from what I understand) it is for the safety of the police when they pull you over. Which I can understand. I would not want to be an officer in some of the areas of California.

Personally, I would prefer that the law was if you get pulled over & have tint, all windows in the car must be rolled down. Otherwise you get the ticket. But that is unfortunately not the case.

I agree with this. on the back doors i have 6% tints, which u can barely see anything, and on the front i have 22%. when they stopped me, i rolled down all windows for courtesy.