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Old 04-15-2008, 11:55 AM
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Question PA: Window Tint Questions....

I've been pulled over twice (Mazda Protege and Dodge Dakota) that had window tint on them. With the Mazda, the State Police Officer on the PA Turnpike forced the immediate removal of the window tint. I think it was about 20% tint, though that was a good 8 years ago. The Dakota was purchased with the tint already on the windows. No idea how dark it was in %, but I'd guess around 30-40%. I drove around for 2 years with the tint on the vehicle (PA Firefighter tag as well). The week I sold the Dakota, a local police officer told me I MUST remove the tint and come back to the station within 10 days, or I'd receive a citation in the mail. I was told the rear tint is fine, it can be as dark as I want it to... okay, is that for a "truck" only or cars as well?

Photo of the Dakota (Rear tint and side was the same %):


Anyway, I REALLY want tint, but it's a hard choice as to what I need to do... I want darker to match some of the black accents of the car, but I don't want to go so dark that I'll have police pulling me over again. I have extremely light sensitive eyes, so I was going to talk to my optometrist. The problem with that is it seems to only allow "Colorless UV Filters" ... read here:
http://www.berksweb.com/users/dmv/tint/exemption.html

Ugh.. what a process.... any help is appreciated. Thanks!
Old 04-15-2008, 02:28 PM
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The tint is purple on the truck anyway. Take it off. The rear window you can limo tint. The front windows have to have ~70% of visablity. When I was going to court I could not find a specific number. I Had 25% on my old truck and it was way too much. I just took it off after I got pulled over.

My camaro now I would prob do as light as possible to avoid unwanted attention. 40+
Old 04-15-2008, 03:05 PM
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I go nailed in my Blazer with 20% on it. When I went to court about it the judge told me that tint in only legal on a passenger vehicle if it came with it from the factory, that on vans, suvs and trucks, anything behind the driver and passengers doors is legal. Anything on the drivers window or passenger window, they can pop ya for it.
Old 04-15-2008, 04:07 PM
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I always tell people ANY window tint is illegal. No matter what the cops just seem to always hassle you with tint. I tint windows on the side and I just tell everyone before i tint their windows, Hey its illegal, you prolly gonna get caught. It sucks that it is that way but what you gonna do. I love the way it looks, just sucks we get hassled for it. As far as for truck back windows i think you are fine as dark as you want. But I dont think that applies for cars. I guess for our cars they want us to drive around in a fish bowl........boooo


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Old 04-15-2008, 11:35 PM
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Thanks everyone. The truck I sold last year and purchase my Camaro with that money. That was just an example. The tint wasn't actually purple, it just came out that way in the photo.

From reading PA laws and regulations there is no specific tint % listed. Most police officers, however, will allow the 70%+ according to PennDOT's "Table X." ...

Mike (or anyone else): Do you have photos of a Camaro with 70% tint? Too lazy to photoshop right this moment, may do it tomorrow... but yah any actual photos would be appreciated. Thanks!
Old 04-16-2008, 07:06 PM
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Originally Posted by HibachiZ28
Thanks everyone. The truck I sold last year and purchase my Camaro with that money. That was just an example. The tint wasn't actually purple, it just came out that way in the photo.

From reading PA laws and regulations there is no specific tint % listed. Most police officers, however, will allow the 70%+ according to PennDOT's "Table X." ...

Mike (or anyone else): Do you have photos of a Camaro with 70% tint? Too lazy to photoshop right this moment, may do it tomorrow... but yah any actual photos would be appreciated. Thanks!

I have pics of my old black T/A when I tinted my windows but that was with 5% I can post the pics if you want. And I put 15% on my red one



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Old 04-17-2008, 07:22 AM
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I guy I work with tints windows and he just got nailed for his. He's got a magnum and the cops scanner thing or whatever said his tint was at 94%!!!! He has to take it off now. He said the same thing about the factory or 70% rule. Or would it be 30%? I dunno. The TA I just bought came with tint on it and I may take it off since I don't want to get hassled. Besides that whoever did it did a crappy job. It's all wavy and crap.
Old 04-18-2008, 07:11 AM
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At this point, talking it over with some police officer friends and tint shops, I may just do the rear window.
Old 04-18-2008, 10:38 PM
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Do the rear window darker than the front. I have had my car for over 3 yrs and have never been bothered by the cops. The few times I have been pulled over with it I put both windows all the way down. That is what they dont like about tint, they cant see inside the car if the windows are rolled up. Safety thing ya know. Do 5% on rear and 20-35% on fronts
Old 04-19-2008, 06:51 AM
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My Z had 20% all around and I never had a problem with the cops. I remember a few years ago looking at PA's website on the law, the law is VERY broad and general, there are ways around it.
Old 04-19-2008, 10:37 AM
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out my way they consider ANY tint illegal on cars post-1996 and any trucks or SUV's with factory tint is fine. That sounds like such a fair law! PA's laws vary differently from the worthless corrupt townships to the cities. It doesn't go by county or state law's only local.
Old 04-20-2008, 03:53 PM
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I'll be doing the rear rear dark soon, and prob waiting on the fronts until I talk it over more with my police officer friends.
Old 04-21-2008, 08:37 AM
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Yup it's BS. The guy I work with that got pulled over has tinted Lancaster city cops cars very dark as well. And they tell him that they don't worry about it so much. It was a New Holland cop that nailed him. Just kinda sucks that there is such a difference between jurisdictions. They need to make the law state wide and easily understandable.

Originally Posted by 1 Bad *** Formula
out my way they consider ANY tint illegal on cars post-1996 and any trucks or SUV's with factory tint is fine. That sounds like such a fair law! PA's laws vary differently from the worthless corrupt townships to the cities. It doesn't go by county or state law's only local.
Old 04-22-2008, 11:32 AM
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Just found this on PennDOT's website. Looks like 70% all the way around depending on the year of your car.

http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/pdotforms...ets/fs-sun.pdf
Old 04-23-2008, 11:48 AM
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Hmmmm...
Old 04-23-2008, 02:29 PM
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That 70% visibility thing is BS, even if it is the "law." It's all about the cop's discretion. I know people with 5% tint who never get hassled, and I know a buddy of mine who got in trouble for 30% tint on the driver side and pass side windows. Sure, technically that left 70% of visibility, HOWEVER most windows are tinted slightly from the factory.

35% is probably the safe point. I'm thinking of doing 20% in the back and 30% up front. I don't want to be a target.
Old 04-24-2008, 06:59 AM
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Did you notice on that page that those are the rules for HIGHWAYS. So what's the deal on non highway roads? Is it up to the cop who just feels like being a dick that day?
Old 04-24-2008, 10:29 AM
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Originally Posted by MiniTransAm
Did you notice on that page that those are the rules for HIGHWAYS. So what's the deal on non highway roads? Is it up to the cop who just feels like being a dick that day?
That's how it worked for me.... Just one officer, after 2 years of MANY officers having been right next to me and even pulling me over once or twice... never for tint until that last damn officer who I am SURE had nothing better to do. Nothing against police officers as many of them are friends of mine, but when you pop someone for window tint that's not even that dark, you really don't have anything else important to do. I understand the officer safety factor, but still...
Old 04-24-2008, 11:58 AM
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Originally Posted by MiniTransAm
Did you notice on that page that those are the rules for HIGHWAYS. So what's the deal on non highway roads? Is it up to the cop who just feels like being a dick that day?
The definition of highway, in this instance, is any public roadway.
Old 04-25-2008, 08:40 PM
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just tint it and pay the fine if u get pulled over, dont remove it... the car looks better with tint. Also, if you are gonna tint it, no matter what level you go with, tint it the same level the whole way around. I would go with 25% the on the back and sides. It looks good on a black car







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