aparently the state of iowa can and will pull you over and enforce your states license and tint laws.

i live in Illinois according to my license plates, drivers license and where i pay taxes. my girlfriend lives in iowa. this morning on my way to work in iowa. a state trooper pulls me over and tickets me for too dark of tint and warns me for not having my front license plate mind you im like 55miles away from being anywhere close to illinois.

bottom line if you have tint or ride with no front plate watch out in iowa because they wont give you a fix it ticket they will just fine you $50! and send you on your way.

Well that sucks. I was just getting ready to try to fill and repaint my plate holes in the front bumper and say that I had just got a new bumper and was waiting to get a bracket to put my plate on the front as well as looking into places to do some tinting on my car. Thanks for ruining my plan. :P (but thanks for the warning as well.)

Now this isn't a 100% hard and fast rule, but USUALLY the only ones that will get you on that stuff are the State Troopers.

I've been given my front plate ticket (TICKET, not a warning) and have been lied to by the officer. He told me that if I showed up with the plate on then the ticket would go away. Didn't happen.

So, I don't run my front plate in mute protest to a stupid law and an untruthful police force.

The tint, yeah, same kind of thing.

-Alex

based on another thread on here about a guy with tint tickets. im hesitant to have the same protest. this guy had your same mute protest and got a ticket for non-compliance to a previous citation.
i have enough money to pay a few fines but im not sure the hassle and being late to work again plus the fines is worth it?
i guess i can figure out how iowa can justify inforcing another states law. next thing you know some cop from maine or cali will be stopping me in florida for loud music????????????

I had figured not having a front plate would just be a simple fix-it ticket. If that was the case, I would definately fill the front holes and go with no front plate, just keep the plate under my seat and say I was waiting for a bracket if I got pulled over. A fix-it ticket wouldn't bother me. I assumed tint was the same. But if the cops are that hardcore about tint and front plates, I may have to reconsider. I hate the front plate law.

aparently the state of iowa can and will pull you over and enforce your states license and tint laws.


I don't think they were enforcing Illinois' tint/plate laws, I think they were enforcing Iowa's tint/plate laws...When you are in another state, you are expected to follow that state's laws regardless of where you live.

I know in Tennesee you don't have to have a front plate, so they can't expect you to go get a front plate when you're just driving through.


I think the cop was just being strict..... It seems like most cops don't even give the no front plate thing a second look. Or at least they don't seem to care in Omaha.

I think this really depends on the cop, considering we have a club member here who runs no front' plate and dark front window tint, AND he's a county deputy... many of our Iowa club members run no front plates and dark tint, and haven't recieved much grief... sometimes its more of a mood thing with each cop....

Cmon don't scare people we got a big meet this summer with a lot of out of town/State guests already commited to attending!!!

Sounds like organized crime to me......especially if a State Trooper is involved!! :rofl:

Cmon don't scare people we got a big meet this summer with a lot of out of town/State guests already commited to attending!!!

yes, please don't scare us out-of-towners... i have no front plate and dark windows and have had enough ticket trouble in my own state.

:nails:

hopefully the weather will be nice when we're drivin out and i can keep the roof open so the windows don't look so dark...

It is absolutely up to the mood of the particular cop. I was just saying that the ticket would have been for violating Iowa law, not Illinois law.

I guess it all depends on how the law is worded. If it says: "all vehicles registered in Iowa must have..." then it only applies to Iowa plated vehicles. If it says: "all vehicles must have..." then it applies to everyone regardless of home state laws. I would think the 2nd one is most likely.

Most cops are understanding, but not all. And if they are having a bad day, they may decide to enforce that law.

Now I've also heard that if you get a eye doctor to write you a note that you can run tint on all windows in Iowa. This might just be urban legend because it's always a friend of friend of a friend.

When I lived in Chi-town the cops were too busy to deal with these minor offenses.

^^^^ no sh**, in kc, the local cops consider a disgrace to uphold traffic violations, they got better things to do, like save peoples lives from burglaries and drunk husbands. but don't get me started on highway patrol or sheriff's. i loose sleep over how much i cant stand those worthless excuses for cops. they seem to be the kind of people that have no leverage at home, and their wife rapes them in the butt with her toys and leaves them in their every morning before they go to work, you can tell by the way they walk and wear those hats.

wow, i feel better now. now i dont want you all to think i hate cops, just those certain ones. i think the people that automatically hate cops are ignorant. yea, they ruin your life by giving you that dwi, while going 120; but think about how happy youd be if that person would have hit and killed you if the cop didnt stop him. i respect them very highly, and even though some of them are real pricks, they are also the only ones that would come to save you when your life is in danger, they would put their life on the line for a complete stranger, thats awsome.

now, my question is, how dark is you guy's tint? i think mines 25 on the front and back, and i dont have a front plate. but when its not that dark, if i tell them the dealer did it when i bought it and they said it was 30-somethin, i think they would believe me, they dont have a way to test, right?

Now I've also heard that if you get a eye doctor to write you a note that you can run tint on all windows in Iowa. This might just be urban legend because it's always a friend of friend of a friend.

When I lived in Chi-town the cops were too busy to deal with these minor offenses.


Ok this is not an urban Legend.... I'm an optician, meaning I make glasses and stuff, not a eye doctor, but if you go to the DOT office and ask they will give you the form, the trick is that even the tint allowed by the form isn't really that dark...And the majority of Optometrists I've worked for don't fill them out.

I'll quote a Optometrist I used to work for,"there are very few things a very good pair of Sunglasses wouldn't resolve for people with extreme light sensitivity, tint wouldn't be the answer since they still couln't tint the front windshield and that is where most glare would come from."

Now I do know people who will argue that tint makes migranes go away and such, but in my experience, most people want the form signed so they're cars can look reallly cool... and BTW I don't run front tint, and the Dr I work for won't sign the paper, even for ME!

Sorry about the book...

When you are in another state, you are expected to follow that state's laws regardless of where you live.
I'm not saying you're wrong, but that doesn't make any sense to me. I mean, for instance, what if you live in a state where you are NOT required to run a front license plate and you visit a state where front plates are mandatory. There's no way they can cite you for not running a front plate. Also, what if you live in a state where there are no emission laws or testing and you visit a state that does? They can't cite you for that - there's no way to get the emissions testing done where you live.

I could be dead wrong on this, so I'll see what I can find out. I have several police officers that are close personal friends of mine. I'll check on this and report back.

IAxB I did mean any offense by "un-political correctness"

I just a horrible speller and didn't have time to spell check but thank you for taking the time to fill me and the forum in.

IAxB I did mean any offense by "un-political correctness"

I just a horrible speller and didn't have time to spell check but thank you for taking the time to fill me and the forum in.

Oh hell! You have offended The Roy and now you must die Dan. Sorry bro, I always liked you, but there's nothing I can do.

Tell Rachel we're sorry!

-Alex

sorry everyone my intention was not scare anyone just to warn you that its a possibility.
its totally possible that i was a victim of a jerk cop but he seemed really cool and compelmented that my car looked good and said that he likes the three scion cars. and yes he used some meter to check the darkness of my tint. and its even darker than what i thought it was 20%

And now this has caused a debate among the local cops where I live. :rofl:

Some say they CAN enforce Kansas traffic ordinances on somebody not from Kansas but travelling through, but more than likely would not because it would be a lousy thing to do. Some say they can't enforce Kansas traffic ordinances if you don't live in the State of Kansas.

I wonder where this will end up? A call has been placed to the District Attorney who would be the prosecutor if such a ticket ended up in court to see what his opinion is.

I think we can agree it's a confusing mess.

Back when light up neon license plate frames were "all the rage," I worked in NE with a lady from IA. The neon plates were legal in IA but illegal in NE. She got ticketed for that frame twice. She tried to fight it but lost. The reason, NE roads, NE laws of the road.

I can't see how plates would be any different with the possible exception that if a state only issues one plate per vehicle, it would be ian undue hardship for you to comply. You still might get the ticket but would likely win in court.

I always had the understanding that you have to follow the laws of the state you are from. So if you are travelling from a no-plate, no tint law state across the US, you would be safe from cops because you were obeying your state's laws. I am not sure if that is the case, but it would be silly for you to get a ticket in Iowa for not having a front plate when your state doesn't require them. I also think it depends on the cop and if he had a stale doughnut earlier that day. :P

I just remembered a story about how cops can be too nitpicky (sp?) sometimes. One of my parents' friends was riding his 4-wheeler along gravel roads to check on his fields. He had an orange flag on it and had it registered for farm use so it was completely legal. A sheriff pulled him over. So Don, the friend, was asked to come and sit in the cop's car. The cop said he was going to give Don a ticket for not having the flag 60 inches above the ground (which is the lawful height for farm-used quads).

Now, Don is a very level headed guy and always has a smile on his face, but that sent him over the edge. This happened on a nearly deserted country road (only the quad and the cop car were on it) but it was within sight of the interstate. Don started yelling at the sheriff saying that he should be patrolling interstate, stopping people for running drugs or speeding excessively risking other people's lives instead of pulling over a 4-wheeler for not having its flag high enough.

His rant lasted about 5 minutes, after which he got out of the cop car, slammed the door, and drove off with no ticket.

Completely true story.

Okay, I just got off the phone with the District Attorney for our area. Basically, cops are well within their legal rights to enforce any traffic ordinance for the state you are driving in (especially when it comes to equipment such as tint, colored lights, etc). He also said that typically you wouldn't be cited for any of the offenses, but you could be: it's up to the discretion of the cop.

He said there are special provisions in most states laws that allow for exceptions such as being from a state where no emissions testing is required and driving in a state where it's required or being from a state where no front license plate is required and driving in a state where one is required, etc so you can't be cited for those.

So how's THAT for a confusing answer? I guess it comes down to the fact that we all better know the laws for the states we are going to be driving through BEFORE we hit the state line!

The question that keeps popping up in my mind is about plates. If you are in a state that doesn't require front plates and you drive through a state that does require them and get pulled over, how can a cop give you a ticket? You were only sent one plate so I don't see how they can ticket you when you don't even get issued a second plate for the front.

or better yet, the tint! they cant honestly expect you to un-tint your car just to travel??

also, im kinda scared about the tint meter. do you think just the h.p. has them? i was really hoping the story about the dealer installing would work....

around here the local police as well as the hp have the tint meters.

Okay, I just got off the phone with the District Attorney for our area. Basically, cops are well within their legal rights to enforce any traffic ordinance for the state you are driving in (especially when it comes to equipment such as tint, colored lights, etc). He also said that typically you wouldn't be cited for any of the offenses, but you could be: it's up to the discretion of the cop.

He said there are special provisions in most states laws that allow for exceptions such as being from a state where no emissions testing is required and driving in a state where it's required or being from a state where no front license plate is required and driving in a state where one is required, etc so you can't be cited for those.

So how's THAT for a confusing answer? I guess it comes down to the fact that we all better know the laws for the states we are going to be driving through BEFORE we hit the state line!

THansenite, i think the special provisions that storm13 is talking about includes license plates if your from a state that dosent issue a fron one.

Okay, I just got off the phone with the District Attorney for our area. Basically, cops are well within their legal rights to enforce any traffic ordinance for the state you are driving in (especially when it comes to equipment such as tint, colored lights, etc). He also said that typically you wouldn't be cited for any of the offenses, but you could be: it's up to the discretion of the cop.

He said there are special provisions in most states laws that allow for exceptions such as being from a state where no emissions testing is required and driving in a state where it's required or being from a state where no front license plate is required and driving in a state where one is required, etc so you can't be cited for those.

So how's THAT for a confusing answer? I guess it comes down to the fact that we all better know the laws for the states we are going to be driving through BEFORE we hit the state line!

THansenite, i think the special provisions that storm13 is talking about includes license plates if your from a state that dosent issue a fron one.

^^That is correct according to what I was told.

Hmmt the tint law would be interesting to me. On my xA I have the darkest legal tint on my car I can have. The installers even put a stiker inside that says it complies with law so and so. Since it is legal tint here and I am passing through does anyone think that my car would get some grief even with the sticker pointing Mr. PoPo to the Texas laws for tint

IAxB I did mean any offense by "un-political correctness"

I just a horrible speller and didn't have time to spell check but thank you for taking the time to fill me and the forum in.

No offense was taken... believe me it would take more than that to offend me...I was just trying to state facts as I know them....

When I was looking at local tint laws, I distinctly recall that some states can and will enforce a local tint law on an out-of state vehicle. They did not say if the foreigner had to be legal in his home state or not to enforce this.

As for the front plates, you are cool not wearing one going through a front-plate state if your state does not require one. That would be ridiculous.

The question that keeps popping up in my mind is about plates. If you are in a state that doesn't require front plates and you drive through a state that does require them and get pulled over, how can a cop give you a ticket? You were only sent one plate so I don't see how they can ticket you when you don't even get issued a second plate for the front.

Peopel are wrongfully accused of crimes all the time, thats where the courts come in to (hopefully) vindicate the wrongfully accused. You have to keep in mind that every cop is not going to know the plate laws of all 50 states.

The police officer can give you a ticket for not having a front plate. However, any reasonable judge should throw that ticket out when it is shown that your home states issues only one plate.

Now if the cop knows your state only issues a rear plate and he still gives a ticket, then he's just being a dick.
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I would say the license plate and tint laws in Iowa are strict, but not enforced everywhere. I grew up in a small town that will nail you for both, but usually give warnings the first couple times. Now living in the Des Moines area I know a lot of people that don't have a front plate and have all their windows tinted. However its 35% tint, so those of you thinking about 5% probably not worth it. It does help if your eye doctor will give you a tint prescription, and I know people that have one...which can also include tinting the windshield. Also in Iowa if the tint is legal in the state your vehicle is registered to the most they can do is give you a warning. I've seen these two issues a lot and I guess its all circumstancial.

two weeks ago was my third time for being pulled over for tint on the drive/passenger windows...going in today to take off the tint or put on 30%...third time they gave me a fine for $50! :doh:

ouch, 3rd time, you know they are watching you.. $50 a pop starts to hurt too.

state troopers just suck, and it still depends on their mood. They can pull u over for whatever reason is, then a ticket ! thats f up.

me: no front license plate, no 3rd brake light ( for a few days and the cops were behind couple times in CB and Omaha.. ) , say I'm lucky ?

Wow, digging up an old thread are we?

I have been pulled for tint 3 times, ticketed twice. I only have 50% on the driver/passenger windows which is hardly under the limit.

Wow, digging up an old thread are we?

oh yes :silly:

No tint yet (except on the headlights) and no front plate. Haven't been pulled over (knocks on wood).

I dont know about iowa regulations but in cali this is a no go. You do not enforce your state laws on people that are traveling through. Now if you live in Ill and work in iowa that is a diffrent story. If you are working here the cop has every right to ticket you for the laws here.

cops in NE or IA dont care much tho .. just some sucking state troopers stop me somtimes ..

I live in Ohio where a front plate is required, but when I ordered my '05 xB I specifically told the dealership not to punch out the holes for the front plate and they honored my request. I ran a front plate for a year (made a homemade bracket), but after getting a front bra for long trips into Canada, I just removed it completely. So far so good and I live in a city that is very strict and look for reasons to pull you over. If I do get pulled over, I will bring up the fact that my sister, sister-in-law, Bro-in-law all don't have front plates, but they do drive nicer cars (Lexus, MDX, ML350)...now will that work, probably not, but I would like to see what they have to say.

I have been running no place since Exposed: Chicago (mid-summer) and haven't been pulled over (knocks on wood) and we didn't have the holes drilled when the fiance's xA came in.