Posted: 1/20/2016 4:03:15 PM EDT
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The darkest legal tint you can have on your front windows is 25%, but I've read that the tint meters cops use require a 3 percent variable so you can have as low as 22% and still be legal.
Is that true? Anyone get in trouble for having 22-24% on the front windows? EDIT: Just for clarification I am talking about the front side windows. Not the windshield. |
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The darkest legal tint you can have on your front windows is 25%, but I've read that the tint meters cops use require a 3 percent variable so you can have as low as 22% and still be legal. Is that true? Anyone get in trouble for having 22-24% on the front windows? Only once late 80's TDPS 1:45 in the morning on the way to Austin bs charge it cost the same to fight it as to just pay ticket. He was just looking for things truly odd interaction. He walked away pissed. Bad day I guess. |
| Remember your windows already have a slight tint to them from the factory even though they look "clear" so factor that into the film's percentage. My combined reading is 13% all around. I threw a tint meter on and that's what it read. I just know where to go get my car inspected and no I don't have to pay extra. I've had my car for 7 years now and have never been pulled over for dark tint as the PC. |
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Quoted:
The darkest legal tint you can have on your front windows is 25%, but I've read that the tint meters cops use require a 3 percent variable so you can have as low as 22% and still be legal. Is that true? Anyone get in trouble for having 22-24% on the front windows? I dunno what any of my windows meter at but I've never had a TX LEO question them. Just don't drive up north with dark tint... I've heard from people I know in Iowa that the State Troopers in particular up there will pull over any out of state cars with tint on suspicion of drug trafficking and will not take "no" to a search and aren't usually very nice about it at all. FWIW, their law up there requires tint to allow 70% of light through (over 3 times more strict than Texas) and makes no provisions for out of state vehicles, so they will ticket for it. And my family wonders why I don't like to visit up there... |
| I've never heard about any variables. Tint meters usually have calibration samples in the pouch and most of the time are pretty close. I honestly think it's up to the officer/trooper. I've personally witnessed a state trooper tell a driver to peel the tint off like RIGHT NOW or get a ticket. |
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Yes remember, window already has a degree of tint built in. Especially newer cars. But not the front. You can't tint below the AS1 line. You'll see the lettering on the upper left. Anything above it can be any tint you want as far as I know up to painting it black. |
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Front windshield tint is illegal, I think. V I was talking about the front side windows, but you're right about windshield tint being illegal. However, there is no way for cops to measure it. Also if you go with something like 70% or 90% crystalline I doubt anyone would even notice. |
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Remember your windows already have a slight tint to them from the factory even though they look "clear" so factor that into the film's percentage. My combined reading is 13% all around. I threw a tint meter on and that's what it read. I just know where to go get my car inspected and no I don't have to pay extra. I've had my car for 7 years now and have never been pulled over for dark tint as the PC. Yeah, a lot of people don't take that into account. My front side factory windows measured 75% so with 30-32% tint that's going to put them right around 25%. I was just checking about the 3 percent variable on the tint meters so if it came in at 24% I'd be okay. I know tint meters come with instructions that warn there is a 3% variable, but whether or not cops take that into account is something else. |
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Honestly, your state inspection is where you will get dinged. 25% VLT on all years (used to be 20% on >~'87 model year) AND there must be a compliance sticker applied by the tint shop. I'm sure some places will let it slide, but we were always very "by the book" wrt inspections. Doing inspections doesn't make any money, and even loses money depending on who is doing it, so we took absolutely zero chances considering the severity of penalty. Guys would roll in with 10% tint, roll down their windows and then pull the window fuse. We'd be nice enough to give them their keys back without charging them. For most that was appreciated, but sometimes they would argue about it. 
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I was talking about the front side windows, but you're right about windshield tint being illegal. However, there is no way for cops to measure it. Also if you go with something like 70% or 90% crystalline I doubt anyone would even notice. Quoted:
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Front windshield tint is illegal, I think. V I was talking about the front side windows, but you're right about windshield tint being illegal. However, there is no way for cops to measure it. Also if you go with something like 70% or 90% crystalline I doubt anyone would even notice. nope, windshield is fine. I think it s 5-6 inches or the ASM line. In 25+ years nobody has ever checked tint on my car |
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It's pretty simple....
https://www.txdps.state.tx.us/rsd/vi/consumerinfo/windowTint.htm |
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I dunno what any of my windows meter at but I've never had a TX LEO question them. Just don't drive up north with dark tint... I've heard from people I know in Iowa that the State Troopers in particular up there will pull over any out of state cars with tint on suspicion of drug trafficking and will not take "no" to a search and aren't usually very nice about it at all. FWIW, their law up there requires tint to allow 70% of light through (over 3 times more strict than Texas) and makes no provisions for out of state vehicles, so they will ticket for it. And my family wonders why I don't like to visit up there... Quoted:
Quoted:
The darkest legal tint you can have on your front windows is 25%, but I've read that the tint meters cops use require a 3 percent variable so you can have as low as 22% and still be legal. Is that true? Anyone get in trouble for having 22-24% on the front windows? I dunno what any of my windows meter at but I've never had a TX LEO question them. Just don't drive up north with dark tint... I've heard from people I know in Iowa that the State Troopers in particular up there will pull over any out of state cars with tint on suspicion of drug trafficking and will not take "no" to a search and aren't usually very nice about it at all. FWIW, their law up there requires tint to allow 70% of light through (over 3 times more strict than Texas) and makes no provisions for out of state vehicles, so they will ticket for it. And my family wonders why I don't like to visit up there... Well, at least it gives you an excuse. 
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Not really since there's apparently some cops that give the 2-3% of leeway and others that go strictly by 25%. There are inspection shops that allow 20% and up while others only allow 25% and up. Of course there are still some that don't care if you painted your windows black. Regardless, it doesn't matter to me anymore since I just got 30% Ceramic installed and the front side windows metered at 26%. 
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Well, at least it gives you an excuse.
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The darkest legal tint you can have on your front windows is 25%, but I've read that the tint meters cops use require a 3 percent variable so you can have as low as 22% and still be legal. Is that true? Anyone get in trouble for having 22-24% on the front windows? I dunno what any of my windows meter at but I've never had a TX LEO question them. Just don't drive up north with dark tint... I've heard from people I know in Iowa that the State Troopers in particular up there will pull over any out of state cars with tint on suspicion of drug trafficking and will not take "no" to a search and aren't usually very nice about it at all. FWIW, their law up there requires tint to allow 70% of light through (over 3 times more strict than Texas) and makes no provisions for out of state vehicles, so they will ticket for it. And my family wonders why I don't like to visit up there... Well, at least it gives you an excuse.
It is just the tip of the iceberg of why I hate it up there. Used to be they didn't recognize TX CHL, but they finally got shall issue and there are even a few things they are ahead of us on... But the "thin blue line" is thicker up there. They just look for ways to harass out of state drivers. It isn't just Iowa either, Illinois State Troopers are notorious for that as well. |
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I've been ticketed twice because of dark tent in the past 20 years. DPS actually does have a form you can fill out and signed by a Dr. that they may grant you a wavier. My eye Dr. wouldn't sign the .gov form out of fear of litigation or liability down the road. Meh, still tint all my vehicles. I usually run 0-3% all the way around.
ETA: not on the windshield though TX window tint exemption form Quoted:
In 25+ years nobody has ever checked tint on my car |