Ok guys i'm having this heated debate with my roomate on the laws of window tinting on vehicles from 1987 and older. So i went to the texas department of public safety's website and they had all i need to know on to pass the Texas Safety inspection.. it stated that vehicles from 1988 and newer must have 20% or greater tinting on the windows to the drivers left and right front windows. so far to my memory this is correct from my days as a state inspector for 3 years. and the site said nothing bout what u have to have on 1987 and older vehicles because i am wanting to Limo tint my cars that were manufactured in 1987, 1985, 1974. please help me and telling this arrogant SOB that he's not right. Cause he was told by an inspector that cops, cabs, limos, and ppl with doctors notes are the only ones whom can have Limo tint. if thats so then txdps needs to post up a new law so they don't get so angry texans.
Please Need Your INPUT.

 

I'm guessing that you did not mean that cars are actually REQUIRED to have tint in what you typed up there.

I don't know the specific laws, but I would imagine anyone running limo tint on a car would get pulled over...a lot. Is that really worth having to go to court repeatedly and remind them of specific semantics of the law? Not for me.

 

I'm in MI where you can't tint the front two windows at all, I've got 20% all the way around and I've yet to be bothered. It all depends on the area you live in.

 

I dont see what the model year has to do with anything.. that makes no sense.. you can add tint to any car.

Around here the law limits you to 35% but Ive run around with 20% on 3 windows and even been pulled over a few times this way... never said a word.

Limo tint is pretty extreme.

 

Texas is 35% on front and back, any on rear, IIRC.

 

why would you want that much tint?

I was discussing this just a couple days ago..

We just got a new car and the neighbor comes up and says "so are ya gonna tint the windows?" I flatly said "NO".. hehhe

The reason I stated is this..
See at night, through tint, you can see headlights.. thats about it.. when you have headlights coming from behind the #1 thing you want to know.. IS IT A COP?.. with tint its a complete crapshoot unless he has his wigwags on..

Without tint, its soo much easier to see and distinguish..

Tint is not worth it at all.. EVER.. IMO..

 

Texas is 25% on front windows & anything on the rear windows. No mention of yr. model:

http://info.sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub/...t=1&ch=21&rl=1

 

IMO I wouldn't tint a classic car anyways. And I'm a fairly big fan of tint... I just couldn't see myself tinting a '71 Chevelle or '71 Camaro, etc.

 

Texas law on tint......

§ 547.613. Restrictions on Windows

(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a person commits an offense that is a misdemeanor:

(1) if the person operates a motor vehicle that has an object or material that is placed on or attached to the windshield or side or rear window and that obstructs or reduces the operator's clear view; or

(2) if a person, including an installer or manufacturer, places on or attaches to the windshield or side or rear window of a motor vehicle a transparent material that alters the color or reduces the light transmission.

(b) This section does not apply to:

(1) a windshield that has a sunscreening device that:

(A) in combination with the windshield has a light transmission of 25 percent or more;

(B) in combination with the windshield has a luminous reflectance of 25 percent or less;

(C) is not red, blue, or amber; and

(D) does not extend downward beyond the AS-1 line or more than five inches from the top of the windshield, whichever is closer to the top of the windshield;

(2) a wing vent or a window other than a windshield if the vent or window has a sunscreening device that in combination with the vent or window has:

(A) a light transmission of 25 percent or more; and

(B) a luminous reflectance of 25 percent or less;

(3) a rear window, if the motor vehicle is equipped with an outside mirror on each side of the vehicle that reflects to the vehicle operator a view of the highway for a distance of at least 200 feet from the rear;

(4) a rearview mirror;

(5) an adjustable nontransparent sun visor that is mounted in front of a side window and not attached to the glass;

(6) a direction, destination, or termination sign on a passenger common carrier motor vehicle, if the sign does not interfere with the vehicle operator's view of approaching traffic;

(7) a rear window wiper motor;

(8) a rear trunk lid handle or hinge;

(9) a luggage rack attached to the rear trunk;

(10) a side window that is to the rear of the vehicle operator on a multipurpose vehicle;

(11) a window that has a United States, state, or local certificate placed on or attached to it as required by law;

(12) a motor vehicle that is not registered in this state;

(13) a window that complies with federal standards for window materials, including a factory-tinted or a pretinted window installed by the vehicle manufacturer, or a replacement window meeting the specifications required by the vehicle manufacturer ;

(14) a vehicle that is:

(A) used regularly to transport passengers for a fee; and

(B) authorized to operate under license or permit by a local authority; or

(15) a vehicle that is maintained by a law enforcement agency and used for law enforcement purposes.

(c) A manufacturer shall certify to the department that the sunscreening device made or assembled by the manufacturer complies with the light transmission and luminous reflectance specifications established by Subsection (b) for sunscreening devices in combination with a window.

(d) The department may determine that a window that has a sunscreening device is exempt under Subsection (b)(2) if the light transmission or luminous reflectance varies by no more than three percent from the standard established in that subsection.

(e) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that the defendant or a passenger in the vehicle at the time of the violation is required for a medical reason to be shielded from direct rays of the sun.

(f) It is not an offense under this section for a person to offer for sale or sell a motor vehicle with a windshield or window that does not comply with this section.

(g) In this section:

(1) "Installer" means a person who fabricates, laminates, or tempers a safety glazing material to incorporate, during the installation process, the capacity to reflect light or reduce light transmission.

(2) "Manufacturer" means a person who:

(A) manufactures or assembles a sunscreening device; or

(B) fabricates, laminates, or tempers safety glazing material to incorporate, during the manufacturing process, the capacity to reflect light or reduce light transmission.

 

Ok all cleared up , just got off the phone with DPS and they said that on vehicles 87 and older the inspector will not inspect for window tinting on the front windows to the left and right of driver, or windshield as regards to the AS-1 line seeing as that wasn't put on til late in 87. and as far as the whole limo tinting i mainly wanted to put that on the hatch glass of my 87 z28 due to the fact that i am inthe process of repainting my Cargo area interior vinyl/plastic pieces and back seat, and don't want to have to redo all that again. thanks to the sun bleaching. and had concidered putting it on the front 2 windows or at least tinting them to reduce the sunlight in there. And he(roomate) no man thats illegal. and i know thats not illegal cause i was pulled over for speeding in my 85 toyota 200k miled corrola and it has 12% tint on it all around except the windshield. And has passed inspection since i've owned it. and never once saw the inspector no matter what Inspection Station i went to check the tint on them and niether did i when i did inspections on vehicles from 87 and older. Sorry bout the rant. I hate arguing bout this kinda silly stuff. But my roomate is a bit of a aroggant ford guy.

 

It must depend on where you are because I live in San Jacinto County and when I got my car inspected last year, they tested it and said it was "illegal". My car is a 1976 Camaro... I promised them I would remove the tint when I got home, so they applied the sticker...this year I just rolled the windows down before entering the inspection place... they were too busy drooling over the car to realize..so they stickered it. To prevent police harassment, I just roll the windows down at night...when you really can tell how dark they are. As for "why to tint" in Texas with a 1976 a/c system, headers, and a black car....well you get the idea. here's picture of the tint.

 

Tinted windows is a must if you live in Texas....not everyones A/C can keep up with the 95-100 degree summers

 

whats the % on your tint?

 

I dunno the %, I told the shop limo on back and dark on front... I do know that the fronts tested too dark tho.

 

well the inspectors of texas aren't supposed to test the tint on vehicles older then 1988