Window tint on a truck

[jeff43]

How dark can you tint your windows legally without getting in trouble with the law? It used to be that you could put 5% on the back glass and 35% on the sides.Can you put anything darker on the sides like 20%?

[rugerla1]

I wouldn't think so. When I had my suburban, I tinted 5% on all the windows except the front two windows, left them 35% since those are the ones driver looks through for side view mirrors and to view traffic before turning on the highway. Don't know if that is exactly how the law reads, but sounded to me like it was okay.

[nightrunner]

Anything on the back and rear side windows. Nothing on windshield and 35% on driver and front passenger window.

[jeff43]

Strip on the windshield is ok too isn't it?

[monkeylizard]

Anything on the back and rear side windows. Nothing on windshield and 35% on driver and front passenger window.

 

That's incorrect.

 

TCA 55-9-107 says 35% on all windows is the limit. Windshield can have 70% applied. 55-9-107 says the manufacturer's shade strip can be darker than 70%, but doesn't say tint can't be applied below that line as some states prohibit. There could be a DoS regulation about that though.

Edited May 20, 2015 by monkeylizard

[jeff43]

Where do you find the info at?

[monkeylizard]

https://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/tncode/

55-9-107

 

I don't know where or if the Dept of Safety publishes any additional regulations online, or if there are any, or of the DoS is empowered to make any.

Edited May 20, 2015 by monkeylizard

[Pain103]

The actual expanded TCA (big book version) says 35% VLT on front windows of any vehicle. A multi passenger vehicle (vehicle with a rear seat or 2nd row or more can have below 35% on the windows rearward of the front seat. So single cab trucks can only have 35% on all windows. As far as the shade band only the factory shade band can go to 70%. Also the VLT, consist of the tint film amd the window frosting so a factory window is typically not 100% and when you apply 35% film you will be below the legal limit.

[wileecoyote]

The actual expanded TCA (big book version) says 35% VLT on front windows of any vehicle. A multi passenger vehicle (vehicle with a rear seat or 2nd row or more can have below 35% on the windows rearward of the front seat. So single cab trucks can only have 35% on all windows. As far as the shade band only the factory shade band can go to 70%. Also the VLT, consist of the tint film amd the window frosting so a factory window is typically not 100% and when you apply 35% film you will be below the legal limit.

This is correct. I have a 4 door truck and had it professionally tinted, and this is exactly what they said. But then I picked out what I wanted and they did it anyway, 7 years ago and not even so much as a glance from any LEO.

[jeff43]

This is correct. I have a 4 door truck and had it professionally tinted, and this is exactly what they said. But then I picked out what I wanted and they did it anyway, 7 years ago and not even so much as a glance from any LEO.

So, do you have 5% on the back glass and rear door windows and 35% on the front door windows?

[wileecoyote]

So, do you have 5% on the back glass and rear door windows and 35% on the front door windows?

No, the back windshield and rear doors are dark from the factory, maybe 5-15%?, front windows were not tinted at all. I had them tint the front to match the rear, and it was an exact match. Been stopped many times for other reasons (including LEO friends and family) but nobody ever checked or mentioned the tint.

[enfield]

So, do you have 5% on the back glass and rear door windows and 35% on the front door windows?

This is the way my truck is tinted. When I bought it, the fronts were tinted 5% also, but I couldn't read the speedometer with the cabin that dark.

[monkeylizard]

The actual expanded TCA (big book version)

 

Got a link to that? I can't find that on TN.gov or LexisNexis.

[peejman]

Keep in mind that window tint laws apply to where you are, not where the car is registered.  TN doesn't seem to care, but if you piss a VA state trooper off, you will get a ticket for windows darker than 35%. 

[Trekbike]

TN doesn't seem to care, but if you piss a VA state trooper off, you will get a ticket for windows darker than 35%.

Personal experience? :)

[peejman]

Personal experience? :)

 

 

Thankfully no.  I prefer to learn from other's mistakes.    ;)

[wileecoyote]

Keep in mind that window tint laws apply to where you are, not where the car is registered. TN doesn't seem to care, but if you piss a VA state trooper off, you will get a ticket for windows darker than 35%.

I was somewhat worried about this because I travel a lot through numerous states and counties, many of which are rumored to be highly strict and ticket happy for lots of things including tint. And I rarely drive the speed limit, usually 5-15 over depending on roads and conditions. But I have now gone 7 years and nearly 150,000 miles all over the US, and been pulled over about a half dozen times, yet I was only ticketed once for speed and I appealed and won that case, so tint never came up. I also have a lot of LEO friends and family, and I've parked in or around a lot of police and government areas, yet nary a second glance from anyone on tint.

I figured that even if I do get a tint ticket someday, the total charge for that is likely to be less than $100-$150, so I'd just happily pay the fine and keep on driving with the tint in place. The small cost is well worth the benefit of reducing glare and keeping the heat out. I also make sure to always fully roll down both front windows if I'm ever stopped, before the officer approaches the car, so tint isn't even noticeable during the window chat. Tint away and enjoy! Edited May 20, 2015 by wileecoyote

[ironsniper1]

I was somewhat worried about this because I travel a lot through numerous states and counties, many of which are rumored to be highly strict and ticket happy for lots of things including tint. And I rarely drive the speed limit, usually 5-15 over depending on roads and conditions. But I have now gone 7 years and nearly 150,000 miles all over the US, and been pulled over about a half dozen times, yet I was only ticketed once for speed and I appealed and won that case, so tint never came up. I also have a lot of LEO friends and family, and I've parked in or around a lot of police and government areas, yet nary a second glance from anyone on tint.

I figured that even if I do get a tint ticket someday, the total charge for that is likely to be less than $100-$150, so I'd just happily pay the fine and keep on driving with the tint in place. The small cost is well worth the benefit of reducing glare and keeping the heat out. I also make sure to always fully roll down both front windows if I'm ever stopped, before the officer approaches the car, so tint isn't even noticeable during the window chat. Tint away and enjoy!

i need to get the tint on my truck redone, i would like to get the fronts to match the back but dont know of a good place to go too, anyone got a lead?

[Murgatroy]

Nearly any tint shop will tint what you want, regardless of legality.

 

I have all my vehicles tinted at 20% all the way around because I find that the happy place between visibility and nonvisibility.

 

I just pay cash when I get it done. Been doing this for twenty years and (*knock on wood*) it has never been an issue an any of the times I have been stopped.

[wileecoyote]

i need to get the tint on my truck redone, i would like to get the fronts to match the back but dont know of a good place to go too, anyone got a lead?

Thee Tint Shop, Mt. Juliet
Call Jason at (615) 669-1501

I have an appointment to see him next week for a retint, because the dog scratched up the 7 year old stuff. Edited May 20, 2015 by wileecoyote

[Pain103]

Got a link to that? I can't find that on TN.gov or LexisNexis.

No link unfortunately. You have to actually read it in the book. The large law books the complete sets you see usually in an attorney's office or police department containing all the subsections and some court ruling formation. So one law make take multiple pages in a book. It's crazy but they don't post it all on the free site but I know LexisNexis has some of those books online pay to download.

[monkeylizard]

How convenient for us lowly citizens to not have easy access to the laws we're supposed to obey.

Edited May 20, 2015 by monkeylizard

[bersaguy]

How convenient for us lowly citizens to not have easy access to the laws we're supposed to obey.

Yea and they announce new ones every June that are going into effect on July 1st on the news and everyone is suppose to know what all of them are.................. :rant: :rant:

[Handsome Rob]

Best thing I ever did was rip the dang tint off all my Windows.
You ever try reversing a boat, down a steep ramp, at night, at an unlit launch site?

[wileecoyote]

I just wind down my windows.