[Nepal]

According to DMV, actually you are not allowed to tint your front window.

http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/answers.html

"Can I put after-market tinting on the windows of my vehicle?
The main requirements for legal window tinting in California are:

The windshield and front driver's side and passenger's side windows cannot receive any aftermarket tinting.
If the rear window of a vehicle is tinted, the vehicle must have outside rearview mirrors on both sides. "

Of course in real world of SolCa, most people still tint their front window and they are doing ok. So I guess my question is: what's the safe % of front window tint to not draw any attention from law? Is there anybody here actually got a ticket for tint your window? Any story to share?

Thanks.

[kromix]

You should post this in the local California forums as we aren't all from California.

[Nepal]

I understand the laws are different but I still want to hear stories from different states, more like a general question for everyone. Thanks.

[kromix]

In that case, i'm in Miami Florida, we can tint our front windows but very lightly not sure the number, everyone has theirs tinted including cops, because it's hot as fuck so I think it's a law overlooked down here.

[Nepal]

Originally Posted by kromix

In that case, i'm in Miami Florida, we can tint our front windows but very lightly not sure the number, everyone has theirs tinted including cops, because it's hot as fuck so I think it's a law overlooked down here.

Same thing here in SolCa. This is one of these least enforced laws for sure. Just wonder if there is actually anyone got in trouble before.

[claykin]

FL is 28% front - 15% rear. Windshield can be tinted down to AS-1 line (that's like a band at the top of the glass). Tinting windshields fully is illegal in FL and not advisable by IWFA (for safety).

CA is 70% front and no restriction for rear. Windshield is 4" from top.

All % above are VLT figures.

http://www.iwfa.com/Portals/0/PDFDoc...201-1-2013.pdf

[Nepal]

Originally Posted by claykin

FL is 28% front - 15% rear. Windshield can be tinted down to AS-1 line (that's like a band at the top of the glass). Tinting windshields fully is illegal in FL and not advisable by IWFA (for safety).

CA is 70% front and no restriction for rear. Windshield is 4" from top.

All % above are VLT figures.

http://www.iwfa.com/Portals/0/PDFDoc...201-1-2013.pdf

Thanks. You info is probably more up to date than mine. I guess you can probably go up to 50% for front in CA without any problem.

[claykin]

Originally Posted by Nepal

Thanks. You info is probably more up to date than mine. I guess you can probably go up to 50% for front in CA without any problem.

Some PD's actually issue officers meters to measure VLT. In most cases if you avoid doing things to attract law enforcement, you won't have a problem with darker than allowed tint.

[1bad335]

Originally Posted by Nepal

According to DMV, actually you are not allowed to tint your front window.

http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/answers.html

"Can I put after-market tinting on the windows of my vehicle?
The main requirements for legal window tinting in California are:

The windshield and front driver's side and passenger's side windows cannot receive any aftermarket tinting.
If the rear window of a vehicle is tinted, the vehicle must have outside rearview mirrors on both sides. "

Of course in real world of SolCa, most people still tint their front window and they are doing ok. So I guess my question is: what's the safe % of front window tint to not draw any attention from law? Is there anybody here actually got a ticket for tint your window? Any story to share?

Thanks.

Here is my 2 cents worth. I am a cop of 26 years. The real deal is that MOST cops will not waste their time on tint tickets unless you meet the following, your windows are tinted so dark that I can not see you (dangerous for the cop), you're driving like a complete ass and have a tude about it so now I add the tint ticket on for good measure. The last one is most often times what the case will be. You're cruisng along at 90-100 mph and have no regard for others on the road, you will get the full package. I live in a state too that has strict tint laws and I can tell you everyone has tint. Again, my suggestion would be to not go to dark. If I can see you (35% works well, still looks good and you can still be seen) you SHOULD be ok. Keep in mind that with any human factor there is always the guy (cop) who does not follow those personal rules and will burn you no matter how light a tint you have. Before you ask, in 26 years I have not written a single tint ticket and it's because just about every car I have owned has tint, (35%). Not really into the whole do as I say not as I do thing. The above is just a little FYI and of course will change depending on where you live and who you deal with.

[Nepal]

Originally Posted by 1bad335

Here is my 2 cents worth. I am a cop of 26 years. The real deal is that MOST cops will not waste their time on tint tickets unless you meet the following, your windows are tinted so dark that I can not see you (dangerous for the cop), you're driving like a complete ass and have a tude about it so now I add the tint ticket on for good measure. The last one is most often times what the case will be. You're cruisng along at 90-100 mph and have no regard for others on the road, you will get the full package. I live in a state too that has strict tint laws and I can tell you everyone has tint. Again, my suggestion would be to not go to dark. If I can see you (35% works well, still looks good and you can still be seen) you SHOULD be ok. Keep in mind that with any human factor there is always the guy (cop) who does not follow those personal rules and will burn you no matter how light a tint you have. Before you ask, in 26 years I have not written a single tint ticket and it's because just about every car I have owned has tint, (35%). Not really into the whole do as I say not as I do thing. The above is just a little FYI and of course will change depending on where you live and who you deal with.

Thank you very much for the valuable information, officer!

[///M ARMY]

I have 5% tint and love it. For my whole car is cost 350. I got the tint package were if I get pulled over the tint shop will take off the tint and replace it when it's signed off but not just once , I can do it numerous times if needed. Mikes tint shop in Anaheim cA

[KevinYang619]

I'm in Oregon, here is 35% or up legal for both sides but not the windshield.

[Nepal]

Originally Posted by UAM951

I have 5% tint and love it. For my whole car is cost 350. I got the tint package were if I get pulled over the tint shop will take off the tint and replace it when it's signed off but not just once , I can do it numerous times if needed. Mikes tint shop in Anaheim cA

What type of film/coating you got? what's your front window %?

[Nepal]

Originally Posted by KevinYang619

I'm in Oregon, here is 35% or up legal for both sides but not the windshield.

I wonder why the law always intervene when you really need something. Here in CA where we really need the tint and we have this 50% (or nothing?) law.

[///M ARMY]

My whole car is 5% tint. I went with luminar ceramic tint with 60% heat blockage

[Nepal]

Originally Posted by UAM951

My whole car is 5% tint. I went with luminar ceramic tint with 60% heat blockage

Wow! I guess I shouldn't worry too much after all.

[halfmonkey]

Originally Posted by claykin

FL is 28% front - 15% rear. Windshield can be tinted down to AS-1 line (that's like a band at the top of the glass). Tinting windshields fully is illegal in FL and not advisable by IWFA (for safety).

CA is 70% front and no restriction for rear. Windshield is 4" from top.

All % above are VLT figures.

http://www.iwfa.com/Portals/0/PDFDoc...201-1-2013.pdf

That's actually incorrect. CA does not allow any tint on the front driver and front passenger windows. Although techinically illegal in CA, many cars have it and as an officer posted above, it's a matter of personal action for the officer viewing your tint. I would say to follow the officer's feedback and use that as a guide. I will say though that I still do see many cars with limo dark tint on the front windows but I think the most common tint level is 40%.

Keep in mind that using metallic vs ceramic will also be a factor in the darkness of the tint. A 40% metallic tint is not the same darkness as a 40% ceramic tint because the ceramic tint is more effective so keep that in mind when shopping around.

[Nepal]

Originally Posted by halfmonkey

That's actually incorrect. CA does not allow any tint on the front driver and front passenger windows. Although techinically illegal in CA, many cars have it and as an officer posted above, it's a matter of personal action for the officer viewing your tint. I would say to follow the officer's feedback and use that as a guide. I will say though that I still do see many cars with limo dark tint on the front windows but I think the most common tint level is 40%.

Keep in mind that using metallic vs ceramic will also be a factor in the darkness of the tint. A 40% metallic tint is not the same darkness as a 40% ceramic tint because the ceramic tint is more effective so keep that in mind when shopping around.

Thanks for the information! I am also thinking to put 40% front and 25% around. In your opinion, what's the best type of tint for look and durability?

[claykin]

Originally Posted by halfmonkey

That's actually incorrect. CA does not allow any tint on the front driver and front passenger windows. Although techinically illegal in CA, many cars have it and as an officer posted above, it's a matter of personal action for the officer viewing your tint. I would say to follow the officer's feedback and use that as a guide. I will say though that I still do see many cars with limo dark tint on the front windows but I think the most common tint level is 40%.

Keep in mind that using metallic vs ceramic will also be a factor in the darkness of the tint. A 40% metallic tint is not the same darkness as a 40% ceramic tint because the ceramic tint is more effective so keep that in mind when shopping around.

The info I provided is taken from the International Window Film Association.

From the State of California CHP website. Pay special attention to the last paragraph where CA basically undermines their own "no tint" law with an exemption.

The main requirements for legal window tinting in California are:

The windshield and front driver's side and passenger's side windows cannot receive any aftermarket tinting.
If the rear window of a vehicle is tinted, the vehicle must have outside rearview mirrors on both sides.

The law prohibits any person from driving any motor vehicle with any object or material placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied upon the windshield or side or rear windows, with certain limited exceptions.

However, legislation signed into law effective January 1, 1999, exempts from the above prohibition specified clear, colorless, and transparent material that is installed, affixed, or applied to the front driver and passenger side windows for the specific purpose of reducing ultraviolet rays. If, as, or when this material becomes torn, bubbled or otherwise worn, it must be removed or replaced.

Most good 70% films look near colorless and likely conform. An excellent film is 3M Crystalline.

[claykin]

Originally Posted by Nepal

Thanks for the information! I am also thinking to put 40% front and 25% around. In your opinion, what's the best type of tint for look and durability?

Look at 3M Crystalline ($$$) or 3M Color Stable ($$). Both are excellent films and have no metals. You do NOT want any metalized film on a BMW.

[Nepal]

Originally Posted by claykin

Look at 3M Crystalline ($$$) or 3M Color Stable ($$). Both are excellent films and have no metals. You do NOT want any metalized film on a BMW.

Since we are just talking about several hundreds on a car cost over 50 grands, I guess price is really not an issue here. So what's the most over-priced tint available (hopefully the best)?

[halfmonkey]

Originally Posted by Nepal

Thanks for the information! I am also thinking to put 40% front and 25% around. In your opinion, what's the best type of tint for look and durability?

Ceramic tint is generally regarded as the best type of tint for modern cars with various electronic systems. This is especially true if your car has Comfort Access as the metallic tint will block the signals from passing through the car and therefore render your Comfort Access useless. Ceramic tint will be more expensive so keep that in mind while shopping around and like I said earlier, ceramic tint at 40% is not the same as metallic tint at 40%. The reason being is ceramic tint is more effective so a ceramic tint at 40% will actually block more heat than an equivalent metallic tint at 40%.

I currently have Llumar at 50% all around and it looks just right for me. A very light tint but still keeping some heat and sun and uv out.

As for someone mentioning the "loophole" about uv protection, yes there is that "loophole" in CA but if you look around, the only thing I found (at least on my searches) was a tint called airblue (i believe that was the name) that is a tint film that you can apply to the windshield and front windows to block uv but not block any light from coming in. By installing this airblue, you can have the uv protection and still meet CA law of not reducing any light coming through the windshield and front windows.

Also, where you say that you want to put 40% front and 25% around, I'm assuming you're saying that you want to put 40% on the front windows and 25% on the rears. If you're actually saying that you want to tint the front windshield 40% and then 25% for the rest of the windows, I don't know if that's a good idea from a safety standpiont. Tinting the front windshield is probably not a good thing to do from a safety standpoint, especially if the rest of your car is going to be tinted at 25%. That's going to make your car really dark and very hard to see out of at night. Very dangerouse indeed. If you're saying that you want to tint the front windows at 40% and then the rears at 25%, I'll have to say that I'm not a fan of multiple tint levels. I like the uniform look but that's my opinion and your mmv.

Like I said, the most common tint level is 40% at least in CA.