What Is The Tint Law In Pa?

Tint darkness for SUV and vans: –

Windshield : Must allow more than 70% of light in, any darkness on top 3 inches. Front Side windows : Must allow more than 70% of light in. Back Side windows : Any darkness can be used. Rear Window : Any darkness can be used.

What is the darkest tint allowed in PA?

According to PennDOT, tint is not allowed on the windshield of a vehicle except for the top four inches to shade the sun. The front side windows and backseat windows must allow for more than 70 percent of light to come in the vehicle. The rear window can be tinted.

Is 30 percent tint legal in PA?

Law on tinted car windows is a matter of shades Q: To my knowledge, tinted windows – front driver’s and passenger’s sides – are not allowed in Pennsylvania. Rightfully so, as I know it to be a hazard, not to the driver but to the motoring public. I want to see the face of the driver who is about to pull out from a side street.

If I can see the face I will know if he or she sees me.
Why do I see so many cars with front tinted windows? Edward F.
Aba Lower Milford Township Q: I believe it is illegal to have tinted windows.
How can I describe the driver and/or occupants of a car that is speeding away from an accident? Why don’t the cops issue tickets? Frans J.

Vreenegoor Bethlehem A: Tinted windows are allowed in Pennsylvania, gentlemen, but the state specifies that, for passenger cars, the tinting can block no more than 30 percent of the light coming into the vehicle. For vans, sport utility vehicles and light trucks, the same “70 percent light transmission” standard applies, but only to the windshield and front-seat side windows.

From the rear-seat side windows and beyond, (or from the second-row seat in vehicles with more than two rows), there’s no requirement for light transmittance, according to John P.
Munafo, manager of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s Vehicle Inspection Division.
Anything behind the driver you can basically paint as black as you want” on vans and SUVs, Munafo said.

In addition to the 70 percent rule for all windows on cars and for the specified windows on the larger vehicles, state law provides that “No person shall drive any motor vehicle with any sun screening device or other material which does not permit a person to see or view the inside of the vehicle through the windshield, side wing or side window of the vehicle.” (Remember side “wing” windows? They haven’t been around for decades, but they’re still reflected in the law.) But this section is followed by: “This subsection does not apply to a vehicle which is equipped with tinted windows of the type and specification that were installed by the manufacturer.

And basically, manufacturers adhere to federal specifications that pretty much mirror the law in Pennsylvania, said Eron Shosteck of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers in Washington. “Any manufacturer-installed window tinting is going to go through rigorous testing meets the criteria and complies with all safety regulations,” he said.

And the stricter standard for the windshield and front-seat side windows helps provide not only for the safety and convenience of other motorists, but also for the safety of police officers when they approach an SUV they’ve just pulled over. It’s not hard to imagine the difficulty of stepping up to a vehicle that might be driven by someone with a gun and not being able to see what’s going on inside.

But the rules are intended for our safety as well, said state police Lt. Thomas G.
McDaniel of the Bureau of Patrol in Harrisburg.
With tinting darker than 30 percent light blockage, it can be difficult to see out from the inside, particularly at night.
The headlights are not as sharp, objects are not as sharp it can really be a safety issue,” McDaniel said.

Most of the vans and SUVs you see out there with deeply tinted windows do not have the darker tinting applied to the windshield or the front-seat side windows. The darker tinting begins behind that point, as it were, toward the rear of the vehicle. So at least you can see the driver and front-seat passenger, which would be the key factor in the case of a hit-and-run or other instances in which identification is important.

As for vehicles that don’t comply with the rules, police say that they do, indeed, stop and charge those drivers.
McDaniel reported that troopers issued 332 traffic citations, as well as many written warnings, for illegal window tinting during the first nine months of 2003, the most recent statistic available.

Some troopers carry light meters to check compliance. Enforcement is done at the municipal level as well. One of the Warrior’s colleagues was pulled over by Dublin, Bucks County, police last year for tinted windows on her car – she got off with a warning – and another reporter witnessed Allentown police making a motorist install successively lighter shades of tinting before finding it acceptable.

Those cases involved the kind of after-market tinting you can buy at the auto parts store, usually a plastic film that’s applied to the inside of the windows.
If you are busted for the offense, it’s a $25 summary violation.
Road Warrior appears Fridays.
E-mail questions about transportation in the Lehigh Valley and beyond to [email protected] (please include your name, phone number and where you live).

Or, write to Road Warrior, The Morning Call, 101 N. Sixth St., Allentown 18101-1480. : Law on tinted car windows is a matter of shades

Can you get pulled over for tinted windows in PA 2022?

Window tint laws in PA – It depends on:

what state the car is registered,
what windows were tinted, and
how much of a tint there was.

The initial answer is yes. If a car is registered in PA, then the police can pull you over for having non-factory installed tint on windows. But as usual with the law, it is much more complicated than that. Under § 4524 of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code, it is illegal to drive with sunscreen of any kind that does not allow a person outside the car to see inside the front windshield or either of the front side windows.

Does PA have 20% tint?

FAQ – Pennsylvania window Tint Law –

Can you tint your front windshield in Pennsylvania? yes, 70% or more visible light transmission What is the Legal Tint in PA? It varies depending on the window of the vehicle. For more details, please check the infographic located on this page. Is 20% tint legal in PA? Yes, for back-side and rear windows (multi-purpose vehicles only).

Are 15% tints legal in PA?

Tint darkness for SUV and vans: –

Is 18 tint legal in PA?

Car Window Tint Legal Limit in Pennsylvania – Asesoría Buenavista For all other vehicles that the DOT does not specify, follow the same guidelines for trucks, multi-purpose vehicles, and buses. Use 70% glass tint on the windshield and front windows, but there are no requirements for the rear seats and rear windows.

Glass tint tickets in Pennsylvania are not a serious matter legally, but the cost of tickets can add up, especially if you`re cited multiple times for the same illegal shade without removing your offensive hue. A ticket for window tinting in Pennsylvania costs up to $110 for a single offense, although a judge or other court official may have reasons to impose even higher fines for certain dyeing offenses or for repeated violations of the PA dyeing law.

Pennsylvania is one of the few states where you can have a tint of glass on the entire windshield of your vehicle. Cars, trucks, vans and SUVs can all have an anti-reflective glass tint of 70% VLT or more over the entire front window and can have a tint of any darkness on the upper three inches of the windshield.

Pennsylvania`s window tint laws contain medical exceptions, but these also have specific requirements.
If you have a medical exemption, you must use colorless glass dyeing products.
These products filter ultraviolet (UV) light, but have a colorless appearance.
When completing the medical glass tint exemption application, provide the following information: Like sunglasses, some tinting sheets contain metallic elements that help reflect incident light and reduce glare and heat produced by visible light.

These percentages are used to measure the amount of visible light transmitted through tinted glass. The lower the percentage, the darker the film. One thing to keep in mind is that while a car`s window may not be tinted, that doesn`t mean it`s clear. Many car lenses that are not tinted can have their VLT size at about 70% or more.

This can sometimes put a car on the illegal side, even if the right percentage of shade has been applied.
The lower the percentage, the less you see through the hue.
This means you can barely see through something like a 5% tint of glass, but a 70% tint allows you to see clearly in a vehicle.
In Pennsylvania, cars (i.e.

sedans and coupes, not larger vehicles) can have a glass tint of 70% VLT or lighter on all side windows of the car and on the rear windshield. This window shade cannot be reflective or reflected in appearance.70% VLT is much brighter than what is allowed in many states, so if you feel you want or need a darker shade, you can apply for an exemption from the window tint law.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (DOT) sets the window tint laws for these different types of vehicles: take a look at our window tint kits or check out our automotive accessories and envelopes to customize your car in a different way.
If you have any questions about our products or their installation, please contact us via our contact form.

Hue darkness is measured by the percentage of visible light transmission (VLT). In Pennsylvania, this percentage refers to the percentage of visible light released by the combination of film and window. Here in Pennsylvania, the law for tinted glass on your car is 70% for the entire vehicle.

There are exceptions to the 70% law: multi-purpose vehicles, such as SUVs or minivans, can go with any shadow in the back of the vehicle.
Each car window behind the windows of the two front doors) A vehicle is entitled to a tinted windshield strip along the first six inches of the windshield.
There is no requirement for the shade of the windshield strip, but it cannot be reflective.

Is 35 tint darker?

Car Tint Percentage Options – From 5% to 90%, there is a wide variety of window tint options. The percentage refers to the amount of VLT (visible light transmission) that can come through the windows. Thus, the lower the percentage is, the darker the tint is.

A 50% tint is a great option if you don’t want complete darkness on your windows.
It’ll only block half the light coming into your vehicle, but it still blocks out UV rays and heat.
Plus, it’ll still reduce eye strain and glare, which makes for safer driving.
A 35% tint will give you more darkness, but it’s still easy to see through.

Drivers like this tint because of it’s stylish and sleek aesthetic. If privacy is your purpose for tinting, a 20% tint is an excellent choice. You can see through windows with a 20% tint if you’re up close, but it’s still difficult. Typically, it’s enough to deter snoopers, though.

What does a 35% tint mean?

What are Tint Percentages? | Diversity Auto Films What Is The Tint Law In Pa What are Tint Percentages? An often misunderstood part of window tint is how we measure its darkness. Here are all the details. Car window tinting films are measured in visible light transmission levels (also known as VLT), and these levels are represented as a percentage of the visible light transmitted through the windows.

So, when you see a window film being referred to as a percentage, this is the VLT. “Let’s do 35% on the back windows,” means 35% of the visible light will pass through the window film. In the simplest terms, the lower the percentage, the darker the window film will be. A 5% VLT film is very dark as it only lets though 5% of visible light and a 70% film is very light as it lets through 70%.

There is, however, one little complication, and that is that windows as installed by the factory do not allow 100% of light to pass through. Most auto makers very slightly tint their glass, usually with a VLT of about 80%. So how do you calculate the true VLT of your windows? To calculate the actual VLT of the glass with film applied to it, you need to multiply the VLT of the window tint applied by the VLT of the glass.

For example, applying a 5% film to glass with an 80% tint to it, you would multiply 5% x 80% = (0.05×0.80)x100 = 4%.
So the glass and window tint would have a combined VLT of 4%.
Is there a way to test my windows for their current VLT %? As a matter of fact, there is! Most installers will be able to tell you with one look and be correct within about 5%, that is because we do this all day, everyday, and you get to know your product pretty quickly.

Law enforcement officials and many professionals might use a device to get a VLT reading that is extremely precise, for more info on how law enforcement feels about window tint,,You clip it on your window and it uses a laser to test the permeability of the window film.

Its a cool piece of gear for petrol-heads, pros, and anyone super keen on the window tinting game.
Time to Tint? If you have been considering window tint for the aesthetic boost or the various performance benefits associated with tint, look no further.
At Diversity, we have been tinting automobiles of all shapes and sizes in Southern Vancouver Island for over 2 decades.

When you choose to tint, make sure you invest in the best materials and service you can – and if you’re in Victoria, that means us. to start talking about which products are right for you. : What are Tint Percentages? | Diversity Auto Films

How do I get a tint exemption in PA?

Medical exemptions are available for the use of colorless window tint products that filter incoming ultra violet light. To apply for a medical exemption or for questions regarding the medical exemption process, contact PennDOT’s Medical Unit at (717) 787-9662.

How much is a ticket for tints in PA?

Window Tint Violations in Pennsylvania – Window tint tickets in Pennsylvania are not thar serious matter legally speaking, but the cost of tickets can add up, especially if you are cited multiple times for the same illegal tint without getting your offending tint removed.

Do police still ask for tinted permit?

Emphasizing that tinted glass permit remains suspended across the country he declared that policemen are barred from demanding customs papers. The tweet reads, ‘ No policeman should demand your customs papers. Except they are on joint operation, but not just on mere routine checks.

What does 5 tint mean?

What does 5% window tint mean – 5% tint darkness means that the tinted window only allows 5% of the light to pass through the treated glass, which means, of course, that it is rejecting 95% of the visible light spectrum. It’s a very dark tint indeed – no wonder that 5% tint darkness is often called “limo tint,” right? A window tint’s percentage refers to its Visible Light Transmission rating, or its VLT.

Is there darker tint than 5?

Window Tint Percentages: Understand Your Options! – When it comes to, you have a wide array of options ranging from 5% all the way to 90%. The percentages refer to visible light transmission (VLT), which is the amount of visible light that can come through the windows.

So this means that the lower the percentage, the darker the tint will be.
Here’s a look at a few of the most common window tints and some pros and cons.
Fifty-Percent Tint If you’re not looking for darkness, then a 50% tint is a great option for you.
It only blocks half of the light from coming into your car but is still effective for keeping out heat and UV rays.

It also helps to reduce glare and eye strain, which makes driving much safer. Thirty-Five Percent Tint A vehicle with a 35% tint will give you a darker, more appearance but is still very easy to see through. Many people like this tint because it creates a smooth, stylish look.

Twenty-Percent Tint If you’re concerned about privacy, you may want a 20% tint. Although you can see through it from the outside if you’re up close, it’s difficult. This is enough to deter most casual snoops and would-be criminals. Most vehicles that come with “built-in” factory tint is in the 15-20% range.

Five Percent Tint A 5% tint is extremely dark, and you can’t see through it at all. This is actually illegal in most states but is most commonly used on the back windows of limousines.

What is 30 percent window tint?

What Does 30% Tint Mean? Posted by on | Featured 30% tint means that the window tint allows 30% of the light to shine through the glass once applied. In other words, 30% tint blocks 70% of the light from passing through the glass. The tint percentage refers to (VLT) which is how much light a window film allows to pass through.

What does 70% tint darkness look like?

A window film’s darkness is calculated based on how much of the spectrum of visible light the allows to pass through the tinted surface. The greater the volume of light it lets pass through, the higher the number rating of that tint, and the less the window tint blocks the view to the cabin of a vehicle.

A tint darkness rated at 70% means that the tinted window allows 70% of all visible light to pass through the window. This means in turn the tint rejects just 30% of the visible light. This is a very light tint option, and one that appears clear to many viewers. It nonetheless blocks almost all UV light, reduces the sun’s glare, and can keep a car cooler inside.

Window tint darkness precent is determined based on the window film’s Visible Light Transmission rating, usually abbreviated as the tint’s VLT rating. VLT is the amount of visible light a tint does not block, or in other words, how much light it lets shine through.

What percent tint looks best?

50% tint: This is the best tint percentage of all. However, this percentage does not create a darker effect inside your vehicle, nor does it completely block the UV rays. Nevertheless, it is an excellent source of blocking a large portion of the UV rays coming directly from the sun.

Is there darker tint than 5?

So this means that the lower the percentage, the darker the tint will be.
Here’s a look at a few of the most common window tints and some pros and cons.
Fifty-Percent Tint If you’re not looking for darkness, then a 50% tint is a great option for you.
It only blocks half of the light from coming into your car but is still effective for keeping out heat and UV rays.

Five Percent Tint A 5% tint is extremely dark, and you can’t see through it at all. This is actually illegal in most states but is most commonly used on the back windows of limousines.

What does 5 tint mean?

How to beat a ticket for tinted windows in PA?

Download Article Download Article Most states have laws that govern how dark you can tint the windows on your car. Some also place limitations on the type of tint used, and where or how the tint can be placed. If your windows are tinted darker than allowed by state law, you may get pulled over and cited for a window tint violation.

1 Consult a traffic law attorney. In most states, if you fix the problem for which you got the ticket, the judge will dismiss the ticket. However, you may want to talk to an attorney near you who specializes in traffic violations to make sure this will happen in your case.
- Search online for your state’s bar association. Most have online referral services that will match you with licensed attorneys in your area who take cases like yours.
- Most traffic attorneys offer a free initial consultation, so you should be able to find out the information you need without having to pay any legal fees. If you do have to pay for the initial consultation, it will typically be around $30 to $50.
2 Photograph your car after the tint is removed. If you want to remove the tint on your own and don’t care about having it replaced, photos can be used in court to prove to the judge that you removed it.
- Get your whole car in the frame, and try to get your license tag in at least one photo. This shows that the car in the photo is the one that was pulled over.
- If you want to make close-ups do those in addition to the photos showing the whole car.
- Print your photos after you’ve taken them so you can submit them to the court as evidence. Most judges won’t accept digital photos on a camera or phone. Your prints don’t have to be large, but should be big enough that necessary details (such as your license plate number) can be seen clearly and easily.
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3 Take your car to a tint shop. If you still want tinted windows, you may want to have a tinting specialist remove the old tint and replace it with a tint that meets the legal requirements in your state.
- Legitimate tint shops typically don’t stock tint that is illegal in your state. If you talk to a tint specialist, they can evaluate your car and recommend how to best fix the problem that will still meet your basic needs.
- Most tint shops have a card that can be pressed against the inside of the window. If you can read the text on the card through the window, the tint meets legal requirements. Hold the card up to each window and take a photo.
4 Save your receipt from the tint shop. If you get your tint removed or replaced by a tinting specialist, the receipt serves as proof that you fixed the problem. It also shows the judge when you completed the transaction.
- Make a couple of copies of the receipt so you can distribute them if a hearing is necessary.
5 Complete an affidavit if required. Some states only dismiss “fix-it” tickets if you remedy the problem within a short period of time after you got the ticket. The affidavit provides the judge with proof that you fixed your tint within the specified time frame.
- Your state or county may have a form to use for this affidavit. Generally, the affidavit should include a statement that the person removed the tint from your windows, or inspected your car after the tint was removed and found that it was in compliance with the law.
- This affidavit must be completed by the mechanic or tint specialist who removed your tint. If you removed your tint on your own, take it to the police station and get an officer to inspect it and fill out an affidavit for you.
6 Submit your documentation to the court. In many courts, you can have a window tint ticket dismissed by submitting proof that you fixed your tint by the deadline stated on the ticket. Check your ticket for instructions on how to submit this information.
- If you’re trying to beat the ticket this way, get your tint fixed as soon as possible. If you don’t submit proof before the deadline listed on your ticket, you may still have to pay the fine. The deadline typically will be fewer than 30 days but may be as short as 2 weeks.
7 Attend your hearing if required. Some states require you to present your proof in traffic court. Traffic court typically is held in the evening, and many people are there to respond to citations. When your name is called, move to the front of the courtroom and present your documentation.
- If you have sufficient proof that your window tint was either removed or replaced with tint that complies with the state’s law, your ticket will be dismissed.
- You may have to pay a small fee, typically under $100, to cover time and court costs.

1 Contact your local DMV office. Many states have carved out exemptions to their window-tinting laws for people who have a medical or vision-related condition that requires them to limit their exposure to the sun. Examples of conditions typically covered include lupus, melanoma, and severe photosensitivity.
- Your exemption may not be processed within the deadline on your ticket, which is typically less than 30 days. You may want to talk to an attorney to explore your options for having the ticket postponed until the exemption application process is complete.
- Staff at your local DMV will be able to explain what exemptions are available in your state or point you to the correct statute or regulation.
- You also may be able to find out this information on your own by going to the website for your state’s DMV. Make sure you’re on an official government site (typically ending in,gov) so you know the information you’re getting is accurate.
2 Get an application for an exemption. Each state has its own application form you need to fill out to request an exemption from the window tint law. This form requires information about you, your vehicle, the tint on your vehicle, and the reason you want an exemption.
- You should be able to get this form at your local DMV. Many states also make the form available for download online.
3 Take the application to your health care provider. In addition to the information provided by you, the exemption application requires a health care provider identify your medical condition and certify that you need tint in excess of state legal limits because of that medical condition.
- Your health care provider may be required to examine you before completing the form. You may need to provide additional information about this examination, such as what sort of tests were completed.
- If your doctor recently diagnosed you, they usually don’t need to re-examine you. Instead, they would describe the previous diagnosis process.
4 Submit your application to the appropriate office. The application typically includes information on where to send it once completed. Most states have a central medical review unit that evaluates all applications for exceptions. Provided everything is in order, they’ll send you an exemption permit in the mail.
- There usually isn’t a fee charged for medical exemptions. If your state does charge a processing fee, the amount will be listed on the application.
- Make a copy of the application before you send it, so you have a copy for your records. You may want to carry a copy in your car as well, in case you get pulled over again before your permit is issued. While processing times may vary, allow at least 2 weeks for your application to be received and reviewed.
5 Show your permit to the court. Once you have your permit for an exception, you can show it to the judge to get your window tint ticket dismissed. If you don’t get your permit before the deadline listed on your citation, you may be able to submit your application for the exception to the court.
- The judge may postpone hearing on your citation to wait and see if your permit will be issued.
6 Carry your permit in your vehicle at all times. Once you get your exception permit, keep it in your glove compartment with your car registration and proof of insurance. If you get pulled over again, you can show this permit to the officer.
- The permit typically applies to a specific vehicle rather than a person. This means if you get a new car, you may have to get a separate permit for that car.
- In NYS, the DMV provides a sticker (MV-80W.2) that needs to be applied to the center top of any window except the windshield. There is actually no other document that you can keep in the glove compartment.

1 Consult a traffic law attorney. If you believe your tint was actually within the bounds of the law and the officer was in error, an attorney can help you. An attorney with experience fighting window tint tickets probably knows things about the way the law works that you don’t.
- Most traffic law attorneys provide free initial consultations. Use that opportunity to talk to several attorneys so you can choose the best one.
- Ask attorneys you interview what their success rate is in fighting cases similar to yours. You also want to find out what kind of fees they charge.
- If you’re talking to an experienced attorney, find out how involved they will be in your case. More experienced traffic law attorneys typically field out a case for a minor infraction to a more junior attorney. You should at least be able to meet and talk to the person who will actually be working with you before you decide to hire that attorney.
2 Follow the instructions on the citation to plead not guilty. Your traffic ticket may have detailed instructions you must follow to plead not guilty, or it may refer you to a website. Take note of any dates and make sure you enter your plea before the deadline, which is typically less than 30 days.
- Some states or counties may require you to pay all or part of the fine assessed before your hearing. If you’re found not guilty at your hearing, your money will be refunded.
3 Have your tint inspected. At your hearing, you need evidence that your tint is within the bounds of the law. The easiest way to do this is to take your car to a state inspector, or to a police station or other tint specialist.
- The person who inspects your tint should write a brief affidavit stating that they inspected your tint and found it met the requirements of the law. The affidavit should also explain how they inspected the tint and what authority they have to complete such an inspection.
- Some states only allow inspections and certification of tint from specific individuals, such as licensed state inspectors or police officers. Check your state’s window tinting law to find out, or ask a traffic law attorney.
- If possible, take photos as the person is inspecting your tint. You can print those and use them as evidence at your hearing, along with the affidavit. Try to get your license plate in at least one photo, so you can prove it is the same car as the one that was ticketed.
4 Gather evidence to support your claims. When you go before a judge, it’s not enough to state that your tint doesn’t violate the law – you have to prove it. Along with an inspection and photos, other documentation related to your tint may help prove your innocence.
- For example, if you still have the receipt from when you had the tint installed, it may list the type of tint used. That could be used as evidence that the tint did not violate the law.
- You might also back your argument with statements from the person who installed the tint that it was in compliance with state law.
5 Attend your hearing. Depending on where you live, you may have a formal hearing before a judge or a more informal meeting with the prosecutor assigned to your case. Regardless of the format of the hearing, treat it seriously and treat everyone involved with respect.
- Arrive at the courthouse at least 30 minutes before the time your hearing is scheduled, so you have enough time to get through security and find the right courtroom.
- If you’ve hired an attorney, they may want to meet you somewhere so the two of you can travel to the courthouse together.
6 Present your case to the judge. If you haven’t hired an attorney, you’ll be responsible for outlining your defense to the judge and entering the evidence you’ve brought. Speak in a loud and clear voice, and treat all court personnel with respect.
- Make copies of documents you want to present as evidence so you can pass copies to the judge and prosecutor and also keep one for yourself.
- If you provide sufficient evidence that your tint does indeed comply with state law, and the officer was mistaken in pulling you over, your ticket will be dismissed.

Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Submit Advertisement Article Summary X If you want to beat a window tint ticket, try going to the tint shop to fix the problem. For example, in many states, if you remove the tint or replace it with a shade that is legal, the judge will throw out the ticket.

To do this, you’ll have to have pictures of your car after the changes are made, as well as any documents that prove the tint was changed, like a receipt from an auto body shop, and submit them to the court. If you have a medical condition that requires you to have tinted windows, you might be able to get an exemption from window tint laws.

Getting this exemption requires you to fill out an application, which can be found at the DMV, and have it certified by your healthcare provider. For more tips from our legal co-author, like how to plead not guilty to a window tint ticket, scroll down.