Ok so I got the 35% tint all around on my car, except on the windshield of course, and now I am worried about the safety inspection. I just bought my car in MD so I need to get a VA Safety Inspection done.

Does anyone know if they check tint as a part of the inspection in VA?

Would appreciate any info you can give.

 

The only people that really care about tinted windows are the police. Inspection stations don't really look at window tinting, and I don't think they even have the equipment to check the darkness of the tint. If you had any tint on the windshield, they'd fail you. Can't even have a tint strip wider than 3" across the top of the windshield.

 

They check it in almost all states.

 

State safty inspectors do not check windows for tint, except for the windshiels.
In Virginia, as I learned, 50% on the front side windows is the darkest you can get.
I got 50% on my front side windows and a 3 inch strip, 'banner' on the top of my windshield.
Wait until you get pulled over for this, if ever. Then change it if you have to.
Almost every other car here has dark tint.

 

i have 5% on the back 3 in mine and 35% up front and have gone through 2 state inspections and nothing was said man. should be fine. ive even pulled up next to cops at night and daytime and nothing said....idunno i think its if you catch the cop on the wrong day youre screwed!

 

Most of the time the cops don't bother you as long as you don't drive like an idiot. They will most likely bring up the tint if they pull you over for a different reason. They tend to try to find anything that is ticketable and get you for anything they find. They can even give you a ticket for having something hanging from the rear view mirror if they wanted.

 

I wouldn't worry about it I have 20% on my front windows to match the factory tint and I passed inspection.

 

I have 50% on my front two and 30% around the back... As far as i know, thats the legal limit in VA. Like the others said, so long as you dont drive like an idiot, it shouldn't be a problem. And if you get pulled over, go to court with pictures of your car before the tint was done and tell the judge you took it off... It'll get dropped in a heart beat.

 

I have 35% all around, and no signs of a problem yet.

Now that has happened to me... But not with Starlet.

 

35 % is perfectly legal in Va . No problems .

 

The legal amount of tint allowed on your two front windows is 50%. The back windshield can have whatever I believe.

I have 35% all around. I haven't had a state inspection yet, but I've been told that window tint isn't checked as well.

As far as tickets, I got pulled over ONLY for my tint this past December. I totally agree with the comment above about it just depends on the cop, b/c normally no one says anything.

 

From the official code:

"C. Except as provided in § 46.2-1053, but notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, no sun-shading or tinting film may be applied or affixed to any window of a motor vehicle unless such motor vehicle is equipped with a mirror on each side of such motor vehicle, so located as to reflect to the driver of the vehicle a view of the highway for at least 200 feet to the rear of such vehicle, and the sun-shading or tinting film is applied or affixed in accordance with the following:

1. No sun-shading or tinting films may be applied or affixed to the rear side windows or rear window or windows of any motor vehicle operated on the highways of this Commonwealth that reduces the total light transmittance of such window to less than thirty-five percent;

2. No sun-shading or tinting films may be applied or affixed to the front side windows of any motor vehicle operated on the highways of this Commonwealth that reduces total light transmittance of such window to less than fifty percent;

3. No sun-shading or tinting films shall be applied or affixed to any window of a motor vehicle that has a reflectance of light exceeding twenty percent;"

In other words, no more than 35% in the back, 50% in the front, mirror tints cannot reflect more than 20% light. There you have it, straight from the horses mouth.

 

Besides legalities... what percentage of tints are available at shops? Do they have anything like 75%? lol

 

75% would be very LIGHT. Totally legal. The lower the %, the darker the tint. It represents the amount of light that can pass through. if you mean like 5% or limo tint, you can get it at most places, but they will not give you a receipt. They didn't even give me one for my 35% because it is illegal in the front.

 

chris, there is no point in tinting at 75% which by the way i dont think exists. i bleve 70% is the lightest most shops carry. your car comes from the factory with a 93% tint built into the windows already. what your asking for is less than the difference b/w a sunny and cloudy day, as far as light transmittance. you can spend 160-300 bux on sumthing MUCH more helpful than CLEAR "tint". it wont block much more UV or anything than regular OEM Glass if at all. basically...dont tint to 75%! its pointless. please dont throw money away on that.

 

what about overlays and tinting on the lights? any laws about that? i've been looking around but haven't found any info on it..

 

i got pulled over for the tint i had over the aftermarket TYC taillights offered on the tc.
he told me it was illegal, and i told him that only the top half of the taillights were tinted, and on these lights, that would be the turn signal. so he went to check the law in his cruiser..came back and said you're right, since your brake lights arent tinted, its fine.

phew..in short..its most likely illegal to tint the taillights (at least in VA) because it reduces the output of the bulbs. that goes for headlights too.

 

But I wanna throw away money on that... I like the clear look but I could use a tad more help against the rays n shiz... Why you hatin? lol jk

 

yea, im thinking about the clear look myself, just not sure how it would look with everything else i have going on in the exterior.

 

Saw a nice white Teg today with gold wheels and what looked like 50% or whatever and it looked good. I think you could pull it off.