Texas tint law?
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 102
From: Houston, TX
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi/Misc/faq/tint.htm
that's the link to the actual print of what the tint laws are. kind of confusing, but it basically says
-Front Windshield CANNOT have tint. Only the top banner part may be tinted above 25%.
-Front side windows have to be above 25%.
-Anything behind (back seats and back window) can be tinted at ANY levels.
Mines are 28% fronts and 20% backs. Got mine done at StereoFX. They do very great quality work.
that's the link to the actual print of what the tint laws are. kind of confusing, but it basically says
-Front Windshield CANNOT have tint. Only the top banner part may be tinted above 25%.
-Front side windows have to be above 25%.
-Anything behind (back seats and back window) can be tinted at ANY levels.
Mines are 28% fronts and 20% backs. Got mine done at StereoFX. They do very great quality work.
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,099
From: ...Lost Somewhere in Time
I'll try to make this as short as possible.
I was issued a ticket by a state trooper on 190, for doing "approximately" 70+ in a 60mph zone. According to the trooper, I had been paced from the service road on 190, and had never bothered to slow from the posted 70mph to the posted 60mph.
The key element is this; the service road and the freeway at that stretch of 190 are NOT parallel, making it impossible to accurately judge speed by pacing from one to the other. The service road tends to curve back and forth a bit, while the freeway is straight. This would require the car on the service road to be traveling at a higher rate of speed than the cars on the freeway if they were to be moving at the same approximate "pace."
Anyway, I decided to contest the ticket, thinking that the court would most likely just throw it out based on the circumstances.
I showed up at the Belton County Courthouse on the specified date at the specified time of 9am. There were 4 of 5 others in the courtroom. Sure enough, 3 of the others had been issued a speeding ticket by the same officer at the same exact location! When the judge entered the courtroom, he informed us of their procedures and of our options.
Since Belton County is so small, they did not have a full-time DA on staff. They use a DA issued from Travis County (Austin) which is over an hour away. According to the judge, all court dates are issued based upon the availability of the courtroom, NOT based on the availability of the DA.
They also require all plaintiffs to be present at the courtroom each morning for a role call. This means that a plaintiff could be required to show up for court on a Monday morning, wait, show up for court on the following Tuesday morning, wait, show up for court on Wednesday, wait... ...and hope that some time during this wasted week, the DA will arrive in time to work your case. Of course, this means you will be taking off work to be available for court everyday until your case is called, which could take up to a week. It also means that if you are from out of town, you will need to pay for lodging during the interim. If, for any reason, you are not present for any particular day's role call, you forfeit your opportunity to contest and run the risk of having a warrant issued for your arrest for a "failure to appear".
Under these circumstances, only an idiot would be willing to stay and contest a ticket. It would cost far more in wasted time, lodging, time off work, etc., than it would be worth. The county knows this and banks on it.
I was issued a ticket by a state trooper on 190, for doing "approximately" 70+ in a 60mph zone. According to the trooper, I had been paced from the service road on 190, and had never bothered to slow from the posted 70mph to the posted 60mph.
The key element is this; the service road and the freeway at that stretch of 190 are NOT parallel, making it impossible to accurately judge speed by pacing from one to the other. The service road tends to curve back and forth a bit, while the freeway is straight. This would require the car on the service road to be traveling at a higher rate of speed than the cars on the freeway if they were to be moving at the same approximate "pace."
Anyway, I decided to contest the ticket, thinking that the court would most likely just throw it out based on the circumstances.
I showed up at the Belton County Courthouse on the specified date at the specified time of 9am. There were 4 of 5 others in the courtroom. Sure enough, 3 of the others had been issued a speeding ticket by the same officer at the same exact location! When the judge entered the courtroom, he informed us of their procedures and of our options.
Since Belton County is so small, they did not have a full-time DA on staff. They use a DA issued from Travis County (Austin) which is over an hour away. According to the judge, all court dates are issued based upon the availability of the courtroom, NOT based on the availability of the DA.
They also require all plaintiffs to be present at the courtroom each morning for a role call. This means that a plaintiff could be required to show up for court on a Monday morning, wait, show up for court on the following Tuesday morning, wait, show up for court on Wednesday, wait... ...and hope that some time during this wasted week, the DA will arrive in time to work your case. Of course, this means you will be taking off work to be available for court everyday until your case is called, which could take up to a week. It also means that if you are from out of town, you will need to pay for lodging during the interim. If, for any reason, you are not present for any particular day's role call, you forfeit your opportunity to contest and run the risk of having a warrant issued for your arrest for a "failure to appear".
Under these circumstances, only an idiot would be willing to stay and contest a ticket. It would cost far more in wasted time, lodging, time off work, etc., than it would be worth. The county knows this and banks on it.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 426
From: Killeen, TX
Wow. The three years I lived in Killeen, I only got one ticket and it was on my way home from Temple on 190. I wasn't speeding that much so it wasn't too bad and I just paid it but thanks for the heads up. Looks like I will have to remain on the look out because I am constantly being ____ed with!
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 101
From: Houston
I got a ticket in my XB, cop said the front tint was too dark, I also did not have a front plate. I went to court told the judge it was OEM and dirty, I assumed the dirt made it appear darker. I left with a smile!
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Joined: Jul 2005
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From: ...Lost Somewhere in Time
Yeah, you should be fine.
Texas law allows 25% and higher on the side windows and a strip not to exceed 5 inches from top of windshield (or below the AS1 line, if one exists). All side windows must allow 25% or more light remittance. There is no requirement for the rear window, provided that the vehicle has both side mirrors. If both side mirrors are not present, then the rear window tint must allow 25% or higher light remittance.
Tint cannot be red, blue, or amber in color.
Texas law allows 25% and higher on the side windows and a strip not to exceed 5 inches from top of windshield (or below the AS1 line, if one exists). All side windows must allow 25% or more light remittance. There is no requirement for the rear window, provided that the vehicle has both side mirrors. If both side mirrors are not present, then the rear window tint must allow 25% or higher light remittance.
Tint cannot be red, blue, or amber in color.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 426
From: Killeen, TX
Sweet well I am 40% all the way around and I have a small strip on the top of my windshield but it fits within the law. So I am happy I won't get my ***** busted down there for tint. Up here it is illegal at any percent, so I have already have to pay $360 in fines.
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Joined: Jul 2005
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From: ...Lost Somewhere in Time
You could probably do 5% with a red shade and still get by with it. The problem arises when you DO get stopped. If you are below 25% light remittance, you will not have a legal leg to stand on. Texas law is clear on the subject.
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From: Bellaire, TX
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 102
From: Houston, TX
yea! you can check out houston-imports.com and go to their forums and find Steroefx's threads to see other's feedback on this company. I did 28% for 3 back windows and 20% for front sides (the 28% is so that it fits the 25% law) from them w/lifetime warranty